Caulfield-based trainer Mick Price appeared to hold all the aces for Saturday's A$1.5 million G1 Blue Diamond S. at that course, with a three-strong team headed by the two race favourites, Extreme Choice (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) and Flying Artie (Aus) (Artie Schiller {Aus}). The race's forecast, however, was made a little more cloudy at Tuesday's barrier draw, with last weekend's G3 Blue Diamond Prelude victor Flying Artie landing in gate 17, last-out G3 Chairman's S. winner Extreme Choice faring not much better in 13 and longshot China Dream (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) handed barrier 14 for Victoria's most prestigious 2-year-old race.
Price, who won the Diamond in 2012 with Samaready (Aus) (More Than Ready), noted that Flying Artie won last weekend from the extreme outside barrier 16, but recognized the Blue Diamond will be a tougher task.
“It'll definitely be a tough job for him, so I suppose Damien Oliver just has to have a bit of luck and the race has to be run the right way,” Price told reporters after the barrier draw, expressing more optimism with Extreme Choice's position.
“I think the gate is alright for him; he ends up in 11 out of 16 if there are no scratchings,” Price reasoned. “I've been talking to [jockey Craig Newitt] about running the right sectionals, especially the first half of the race; we don't want to be gassing out 10 and a bit sectionals and then expect him to finish. It'll be a little messy for my horses in those barriers but that's what happens.”
Asked if the two favorites could overcome their draws and win, Price said, “I think Extreme Choice can. I think Flying Artie will need a bit of joy; he'll need the right things to happen in the race.” The conditioner, however, was offering up no excuses. “I would say that from two months ago, when you're sort of making these long range plans to get these horses in, that things have gone perfectly for all three,” he said. “I wouldn't change anything, so they go in there spot on and they'll win if they're good enough.”
Despite Extreme Choice's ultra impressive win over Highland Beat (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the Feb. 6 Chairman's S., it was Flying Artie who Damien Oliver made the difficult decision to stick with, as much for his game maiden-breaking win in the Prelude as for his perceived ability to relish the 1200 metres. Flying Artie bested Star Turn (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus}) last weekend, and that one–who broke his maiden at second asking at Randwick in October–breaks one barrier to the inside of Extreme Choice.
The fancied fillies fared better overall than the colts at the draw, with third choice Samara Dancer (NZ) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) drawing five, and fourth choice Concealer (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) one to her outside. Samara Dancer took her record to two straight with a smart win in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies last weekend over Concealer, and she looks to be the second South Australian-based filly to win the Diamond in the last four years, following Miracles Of Life (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) in 2013.
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