Flemington Racecourse will come alive this Saturday with the opening Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting, Victoria Derby Day, and as part of the action the $500,000 Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) will take place.

The 2010 Coolmore Stud Stakes has attracted a final field of 13 three-year-olds with Star Witness and Pressday the two top rated entries.

The Danny O’Brien-trained Star Witness is a consistent Starcraft colt that has won three of their six career starts to date, well positioned in barrier two for the Coolmore.

Star Witness ran a gallant fourth to sprinting superstar Black Caviar last start in the Schillaci Stakes and is one of the warm favourites for Saturday.

Drawn wider in barrier eight, Chris Waller’s Pressday is sure to attract plenty of attention from the punters as the Domesday colt resumes racing for the season after a 20 week spell.

Due to be ridden by in-form hoop Nash Rawiller, Pressday enjoyed a brilliant Brisbane Winter Carnival campaign claiming three straight wins in the Group 2 Champagne Classic (1200m),Group 2 QTC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 TJ Smith (1600m), and racing enthusiasts will eagerly await their first-up run in the Coolmore.

Robert Heathcote’s exciting Queensland galloper Buffering has also drawn ideal on Saturday, due to jump from barrier four as the Mossman gelding seeks their seventh career win from 11 starts.

Other notable runners in the Coolmore Stud Stakes this year include Peter Snowden’s Caulfield Sprint third placegetter Soul (barrier seven) who will be out to maintain their unbeaten Flemington record, and Cranbourne-based gelding General Truce (barrier nine).

Star fillies set to line-up against the boys in the Coolmore include Edward Manifold Stakes winner Sistine Angel suffering a blow with a wide barrier 11 draw and the John O’Shea-trained Solar Charged.

Coming up trumps with the inside running from gate one, due to be ridden by Corey Brown and coming off a strong last-start Group win at Caulfield, Solar Charged is a classy filly that has real claims on Saturday.

The 2010 Coolmore Stud Stakes is scheduled as Race 4 at Flemington on Saturday and betting markets on the race are due to open shortly, so stay tuned for our exclusive tips.

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2010 Coolmore Stud Stakes Field, Barrier Draw & Weights

#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight (kg)	Handicapper Rating
1	STAR WITNESS	Danny O’Brien	James Winks	2	55.5	100
2	PRESSDAY	Chris Waller	Nash Rawiller	8	55.5	100
3	BUFFERING	Robert Heathcote	Hugh Bowman	4	55.5	97
4	SOUL	Peter Snowden	Mark Zahra	7	55.5	98
5	GENERAL TRUCE	Ricky Maund	Dean Yendall	9	55.5	92
6	SHRAPNEL	Mark Kavanagh	Michael Rodd	6	55.5	84
7	NO HESITATION	Clarry Conners	Michael Walker	10	55.5	80
8	THE RUFFIAN	Lee Freedman	Steven Arnold	5	55.5	72
9	SISTINE ANGEL	Andrew Noblet	Craig Williams	11	53.5	97
10	SOLAR CHARGED	John O’Shea	Corey Brown	1	53.5	96
11	PARRIWI	Kris Lees	Jim Cassidy	3	53.5	84
12	CURTANA	Peter G Moody	Luke Nolen	13	53.5	82
13	POTIONS	John P Thompson	Craig Newitt	12	53.5	65