IT would be fair to say that on paper Samaready looks a good thing in Saturday’s Blue Diamond but there some facts and figures that suggest the hot favourite won’t have it all her own way.

After two brilliant wins from as many starts Samaready has remained at short odds since the field was declared on Tuesday although she has drifted slightly from an opening quote of $2.10 to $2.20 with Sportingbet.

But being public elect isn’t such a hot thing with only three favourites saluting since 1994, those being Sepoy last year at $1.40; Alinghi at $2.15 in 2004 and Bel Esprit at $2.00 in 2002.

Samaready also has the curse of the female line where the fillies have barely better than a 1 in 3 strike rate in the race with 15 wins against the boys with 41.

Fillies winning only three of the last 13.

Just the same you must remember that Samaready won’t be reading the formguide or  checking the past results and she will take a whole lot of beating.

She is now the only runner at singlefigure odds with second elect The Travelling Man easing slightly from his opening quote of $9.00 to $10.00.

The only one to shorten slightly in the betting has been the Mat Ellerton & Simon Zahra trained Formidable who chased Samaready home in the Blue Diamond Prelude and she has come in from $17.00 to $15.00.

Being runner-up last start the facts are also against Formidable as 22 of the past 30 winners have come off last start wins, including 12 from the Blue Diamond Preludes.

Top jockey Kerrin McEvoy who finished second in the Blue Diamond C&G Prelude on Rusambo has elected to ride Applegate ($21.00) while Mark Zahra will steer Rusambo ($26.00).

2012 BLUE DIAMOND STAKES – 1200 metres 4.30pm

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FLYING filly Samaready remains the hot pick for next Saturday’s Blue Diamond after drawing well when the final field was announced today.

Unbeaten in her only two outings Samaready has drawn in barrier eight and will jump from seven if none of the emergencies get a run.

Sportingbet have the daughter of USA sire More Than Ready at a tight quote of just $2.10 for the two-year-old classic on the strength of her fast win in the Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield on February 11.

At her only other outing she was an impressive winner at Flemington in December.

After her latest win her jockey Craig Newitt declared her as the best two-year-old he has been associated with.

The only other runner under double figure odds is The Travelling Man who has been rested since he resumed with a smart all-the-way win over 1000 metres at Caulfield on Australia Day.

The Travelling Man is drawn ideally in barrier two and he has the early pace to get a gun run for the 1200 metre dash.

Third pick at $12.00 in the betting is the Tony McEvoy trained colt Jimando but he has drawn the extreme outside stall of 20 and will be starting from barrier 16.

2012 BLUE DIAMOND STAKES – 1200 metres 4.30pm