Short-priced Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Enthaar is one of three horses who will need to be given the all-clear by Racing Victoria veterinarians in order to line up in the Group One race.
Enthaar’s co-trainer Ciaron Maher said in his opinion the filly was fine to take her place at Caulfield despite RV vets ruling she was lame in the near foreleg on Thursday.
“She worked this morning, moving lovely. We trotted her up and as far as I am concerned, she is moving no different to normal,” Maher said.
Maher said Enthaar had always had a shuffling action.
The other horses who will be re-inspected on Friday are the Lloyd Kennewell-trained Marine One and Grahame Begg’s Dosh, who were both ruled to be lame in the near foreleg.
Begg is hoping he is given the green light to try to maintain his perfect Blue Diamond Stakes record with the two-year-old filly.
Begg has only had one previous runner which was 2018 winner Written By.
“We will trot her up again tomorrow. It was disappointing that they found bruising near the near foreleg when they took her shoe off,” Begg said.
“We will address the situation and hopefully she will pass the test tomorrow.”
Dosh has had two starts for two wins in the Ottawa Stakes at Flemington in November and the Blue Diamond Preview on January 26.
Begg said he was happy with Dosh’s barrier draw of eight, which would give jockey Jye McNeil the option to find a spot close to the lead.
It will be a big day for the Begg stable as he will also have two horses in action who are being set for Group One races, Nonconformist and Butter Chicken
Nonconformist will start in Saturday’s Peter Young Stakes (1800m), which will be his lead-in run to the Australian Cup.
Begg said he was pleased with how Nonconformist closed for third when he resumed from a spell in the Carlyon Cup as he wasn’t suited in the sit-and-sprint event.
Exciting three-year-old filly Butter Chicken will run in the Group Two Autumn Classic over 1800 metres.
Begg conceded it was a big step from winning a Pakenham maiden at her second start to a stakes race but he was excited by her staying potential.
“She’s by Savabeel out of a Galileo mare so she’s got an impressive staying pedigree,” he said.
“She’s done everything we’ve asked of her and she has been impressive.
“It’s time to raise the bar to see whether she can measure up to races like the Sydney Oaks.”
