A TOUGH choice for Damien Oliver has had a flow on effect for fellow top Victorian jockey Craig Newitt, who has landed a premium ride in the Blue Diamond.

Oliver is unbeaten on the current $2.75 Blue Diamond favourite Extreme Choice, but has opted to ride impressive last-start winner Flying Artie. That decision has opened up a spot for Newitt, who didn't appear to have a ride in the group 1 feature, let alone on the current top elect.

“It was a nice surprise,” Newitt said.

“These sort of races you normally know what you are going to be riding and, even if you do pick up a late one, nine times out of 10 it's not going to be the favourite.”

Flying Artie was impressive in winning the prelude last Saturday after travelling wide throughout, but still finding a good turn-of-foot. Extreme Choice was an easy winner a week prior, but many believe it will need to find the lead to have a chance of winning.

Newitt has ridden both horses in trackwork and believes the barrier draw will determine which starts favourite Saturday week at Caulfield.

“I think it will be very interesting next Tuesday morning when the barriers come out. I think that will determine which horse starts favourite,” Newitt said.

“I don't think it really matters with the horse I'm riding because he is so quick, so brilliant… I think it's more detrimental to Ollie's chances if he draws wide.”

Punters backed Extreme Choice into $2.50 last week, but now they are starting to worry about Oliver's decision. There has been talk that it won't get the 1200m Blue Diamond distance, but it hasn't shown any signs of slowing down at the winning post.

“The way he ran the other day, I don't think 1200m should be a worry. It just depends on how much pressure there is early in the race,” Newitt added.

Newitt rode fellow Mick Price-trained Samaready to win the Blue Diamond in 2012, in which Price has compared with Extreme Choice.

“I went there very confident on Samaready knowing she was the best horse in the race and I will be riding this bloke with a lot of confidence because I think there is only going to be a couple of chances,” Newitt said.

“The main similarity is that they were both ready-made two-year-olds – they jump, they put themselves on the speed and they can give a good kick.

“Flying Artie, he still does a fair bit wrong, but physically he is nearly like a three-year-old already – he's a big hulk of a thing and what he is doing he is pretty much doing on raw ability.”

2016 Blue Diamond updated market

Full list of odds available at Sportsbet.com.au*

Extreme Choice – $2.75
Flying Artie – $3.50
Concealer – $8.50
Samara Dancer – $8.50
Star Turn – $12
Miss Nymeria – $17
Zamzam – $21
Revolving Door – $26
Cohesion – $26
Valliano – $26
Mandee – $34
Dalradian – $34
Ocean Grove – $34
Bullion Wolf – $34
Areti – $34
Power Trip – $34

Samara Dancer was heavily backed to win last start and it did the job accordingly. The impressive prelude winner has been subsequently well-backed for the upcoming Group 1 Blue Diamond and looks a handy chance on the third line of betting.

On the same line is Concealer which ran on well from the back and the extra distance looks ideal. It's another strong chance at $8.50 to upset the two favourites.

Extreme Choice and Flying Artie will likely close at around the $3 mark as money will continue to come for Flying Artie. Punters could back both as we can't see either being beaten.

Chautauqua not favoured for Saturday's Lightning Stakes

Punters have rallied around the Hawkes-trained Chautauqua, but it hasn't been the best backed runner for this Saturday's Lightning Stakes at Flemington.

The John O'Shea-trained Exosphere has been heavily supported at $2.25 to beat the sprinting specialist after Chautauqua was beaten at its last start in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, but the Flemington track wasn't playing fair during that carnival – convincing many to overlook the performance.

For three-year-old Exosphere, this campaign will be all about rising to the next level and even though it could stretch out over more distance, the 1000m looks a suitable target fresh up. The Godolphin up-and-comer has a natural running action and should prove tough to beat down the lengthy straight.

Not fancied in the betting is the Troy and Leon Corstens-trained Vezalay ($51 at Bet365.com.au), but its trainers aren't dodging the best sprinters in Australia, thinking a placing could boost its credentials.

“We are not stupid and think we can beat them and beat them easily,” Corstens said.

“But if you run a nice placing in the Lightning, a group 1, it would look pretty good on her CV.”

Vezalay has a good record fresh up of two wins from three starts and it's coming off a last start win in the Alinghi Stakes. Troy Corsten's hasn't fully made up his mind on whether Vezalay will run in the Lightning or the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield a week later.

“We will have a chat with Brad Spicer [owner] in the next couple of days before we make any decision on whether we run there or the Oakleigh Plate first-up,” Corstens said.

Also weighing up a decision on either the Lightning or Oakleigh Plate is David Hayes and Tom Dabernig with Keen Array. Co-trainer Tom Dabernig stated that they weren't scared off by Chautauqua and Exosphere, but they are looking at their options.

“We certainly would not be frightened taking them on, but you get a very light weight in the Oakleigh Plate and he's got a good record at Caulfield,” Dabernig said.

“There's no doubt we have an emerging top sprinter, but talking to David and everyone involved, there is a thought to wait another week.”

2016 Lightning Stakes market:

Exosphere – $2.25 at CrownBet.com.au
Chautauqua – $3.20
Delectation – $7.00
Terravista – $8.00
Japonisme – $11
Keen Array – $12
Counterattack – $18
Ball Of Muscle – $21
Kinglike – $26
Headwater – $26
Eclair Choice – $34
Vezalay – $51
Brockhoff – $81
Va Pensiero – $101
Sweet Emily – $201