Punters are weighing in behind Lee Freedman-trained 2-year-olds Exceedingly Good and Sugar Babe as they prepare for the final Blue Diamond trials in the Preludes at Caulfield today.
Betstar's Alan Eskander said "pretty intelligent" money had come for Exceedingly Good to win the Blue Diamond in two weekswith one bet alone of A$105,000 ($120,454) to A$15,000 each-way.
Exceedingly Good, who is running in the Blue Diamond Colts and Geldings Prelude (1100m) today, has firmed to outright favouritism for Victoria's premier 2-year-old race at $7, ahead of the David Hayes-trained unbeaten youngster All American at $8.
Sugar Babe is $16 but will have her quote slashed if she can land a A$20,000 bet at $4.50 in the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude (1100m) today.
Eskander said the money suggested that the Blue Diamond winner would be racing today.
"We have taken some really good bets on Exceedingly Good," he said.
"It is pretty intelligent money and it would suggest that Exceedingly Good will run a very good race."
Unbeaten in two starts, Exceedingly Good is racing for the first time since his win in the Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) in November.
Betstar has tightened him to $2.80 for the Prelude and he has replaced stablemate Wilander ($3) as favourite.
Wilander won his race debut by eight lengths at Ballarat last month.
Freedman said it was difficult to split the two horses with their formlines so far apart.
He said Sugar Babe wasn't wound up for today but should run well after scoring at her only start in the Debutants Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on October 17.
"She has done a reasonable amount of work and if she wins that would be great," Freedman said.
"She is not far off but I would expect her to improve on what she does this week."
Freedman said he believed the Mark Kavanagh-trained filly Believe'n'succeed would be the biggest danger.
