A bumper 10-race program lights up Caulfield Racecourse on Cup Day this Saturday including a small but classy field of short-distance specialists in the Caulfield Sprint 2015 – betting tips for which are detailed below.

Eight gallopers line-up in Caulfield Cup Day Race 3 on the weekend, the $200,000 Group 2 Dilmah Single Origin Teas Caulfield Sprint (1000m) due to jump at 2:00pm (AEST).

Leading the Caulfield Sprint odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, who are offering you an Extra 50% on your very first fixed odds winner in Races 1 – 5 on the card, is the Joe Pride-trained market mover Ball Of Muscle ($3.40 into $3.10).

Drawn in gate four with Glyn Schofield retaining the ride, the Dubawi five-year-old has never finished worse than third and is after his first win since the Group 2 QTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben in late May.

His lead-up form this preparation has been outstanding and his latest start was at Moonee Valley in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) over this distance when beaten just a half-length by Buffering on October 2.

It’s a tight Caulfield Sprint betting market this spring however with three other livewire hopes according to the bookies with returning first-up specialist Lumosty ($3.60) in the outside alley, Coolmore Stud Stakes-bound three-year-old Kinglike ($4.60) and the progressive Kuro ($4.80) with James McDonald in the saddle.

So will Ball Of Muscle salute for the punters or is there an upset Caulfield Sprint result on the agenda this weekend in Melbourne?

1^st

#6 Kinglike ($4.60)

Lots to like about the progressive and lightly-raced Peter Moody-trained Exceed And Excel colt who has just his fourth career start here. Has won two of his runs so far and finished second in the other over 1100m at this track back in May. He’s improved since then with a Moonee Valley win carrying 59kg two weeks later and his excellent first-up victory in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight. Glen Boss retains the ride, this is a small field and while he drops back in distance he should be flying with 54kg as he heads towards a Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) run on Derby Day.

2^nd

#1 Ball Of Muscle ($3.10)

Deserving favourite but does give his rivals the weight advantage carrying 58kg here. Drawn a treat in barrier four and never runs a bad race with an outstanding record to date (16-8-6-2) giving him a 100% Place Rate he can maintain here. Yet to race at Caulfield, but is a 1000m specialist (5-2-2-1), which is his biggest advantage. Does drop a half-kg from what he carried to second in the Moir Stakes over this distance in tougher company last time out, so is definitely still a winning chance here who could be first past the post even with those kilos.

3^rd

#3 Lumosty ($3.60)

Drawn the outside alley so will need a bit of luck and the right ride from the in-form Dwayne Dunn, but Robert Smerdon’s four-year-old Fastnet Rock mare is outstanding fresh (3-1-2-0) and runs for the first time here since her third to Srikandi in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at the Gold Coast in June. She has won over 1100m and finished second in her only other 1000m start so first-up can be competitive over this distance despite 1400m – a mile being her preferred.

Get in on the Caulfield Sprint 2015 betting action online now through Ladbrokes.com.au and enjoy Best Tote or SP + 20% on ALL 10 races at the meeting!