Robert Smerdon is trying to win his second Blue Diamond Stakes - 30 years after his first.

Yet it's anything but three decades of missed opportunities for the trainer who has the favourite Fontiton and outsider Thurlow ready to go in the $1 million race for two-year-olds at Caulfield on Saturday.

Since Smerdon trained Let's Get Physical to win the 1985 Blue Diamond he's had barely a handful of runners in the Group One race.

But that can easily be put down to good horsemanship rather than bad luck.

"We had a look at it during the week and I've had maybe four or five run in the race since Let's Get Physical," Smerdon said.

"You get your young horses through the system and most of them aren't quite ready for it at this time of their lives, so we give them the opportunity to grow and mature."

Smerdon is in the box seat to win Victoria's richest two-year-old race despite limited juvenile runners in 2014-2015.

"We've only had three go to the races this season and these two have been good enough to get to this level," he said.

Smerdon believes 1200m won't be a concern for Fontiton but the same can't be said Thurlow.

He says his Diamond runners have worked and trialled against each other and Fontiton always has the edge on Thurlow.

Nevertheless, Thurlow's race record of two wins from three starts demanded she take her place in the race.

"The running of a race can produce different outcomes and I'm happy to have Thurlow lining up as a second string chance," Smerdon said.

Smerdon says Sydney colts Pride Of Dubai and Sampeah deserve the utmost respect.

"I think they are emerging and coming right at the right time, but we're happy going into the race," Smerdon said.

Fontiton has a stranglehold on favouritism at $2.20 with Pride Of Dubai at $6 and they are the only runners under double figures.

Sampeah and Lake Geneva share the third line of betting at $12.

Of The Brave has continued to drift since the barrier draw and is now a $13 chance.

Claudia Jean is showing signs of mild lameness and will undergo another veterinary inspection on Saturday morning.