A small seven-starter field of stayers is left to face off in one of Emirates Stakes Day’s key support races on the Flemington program in Melbourne on Saturday, 2015 Queen’s Cup betting tips found below.

Running as Flemington Race 3 at 1:40pm (AEST) on the last Melbourne Cup Carnival race day, this year’s $300,000 Group 3 Queen’s Cup (2600m) – originally known as the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes – drew a final field of eight.

The early scratching of the Ed Dunlop-trained British raider Manndawi who ran third in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on debut down under however leaves a field of seven in the mix.

Leading the updated Queen’s Cup betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au, who are the only Aussie bookmaker offering Best Tote or SP + 20% across the Flemington card this Saturday, at a firming $2.60 is Secret Number.

Prepared in the UK by Godolphin’s Saeed Bin Suroor, the Raven’s Pass stallion was originally brought down under for a shot at the $6.2 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) over the two miles.

The six-year-old was balloted out of the 24-starter field for the ‘race that stops a nation’ however and so has his maiden run in Australia shooting for the Queen’s Cup consolation prize from barrier five with James McDonald in the saddle.

The horse was last seen winning a black-type over 2475m back home carrying 58kg, the same weight he is tipped to carry to victory in the Queen’s Cup this weekend.

Close $2.70 second fancy in the latest Queen’s Cup odds is another horse balloted out of Melbourne Cup contention, Dandino who is prepared by Ballarat’s Darren Weir.

Weir won the Melbourne Cup in a massive upset with 101/1 shot Prince Of Penzance and has a livewire hope in 2013 Caulfield Cup runner-up Dandino to take out another staying showdown on Saturday.

Also carrying the 58kg top weight, Dansili nine-year-old Dandino was runner-up in the Geelong Cup last time out on October 21 with half a kilo less on his back and is still yet to win down under with the import’s last turf triumph being back in August of 2013 in the USA.

So can the top two fancies run Saturday’s Queen’s Cup quinella or is there value in another Flemington upset in the likes of the Chris Waller-trained Beaten Up ($5.50) or Moonee Valley Gold Cup fourth placed Bold Sniper ($9.50)?

1^st

#3 Bonfire ($10)

Going for the upset Queen’s Cup result with a known wet-track performer if Flemington stays in the Heavy range for Saturday’s meeting. Well-weighted with 56.5kg, the Manduro seven-year-old from the Gai Waterhouse stables shoots for his first win since July’s Grafton Cup (2350m). His form this time in has been iffy, including the Geelong Cup 13^th, but if the going is soft he’ll plough through it. He also meets the better fancied at a better weight so is a roughie’s hope at a nice price if conditions suit.

2^nd

#3 Secret Number ($2.60)

Was here for the Melbourne Cup so the 2600m should be a non-issue for this British visitor whose last start back home was a win over the mile and a half. Can handle 58kg and barrier five looks ideal, plus jockey McDonald is in form. His form from the UK is strong and this is a much easier grade than he was originally set for making him hard to beat as the market mover and punters’ pick.

3^rd

#1 Beaten Up ($5.50)

Group 1 winner of the 2013 Doomben Cup over 2000m but nothing since, Waller’s Beat Hollow eight-year-old is out to break a lengthy winning drought here. He has never raced at Flemington, and his last Melbourne run was a 10^th over 1800m back in February. That said, he is an honest stayer with decent form in Sydney this time in including the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) second two back. The distance should be okay and he drops from 60.5kg from an unplaced Randwick run last time out to 58kg here so isn’t in too badly in the weights.

Back or sack our Queen’s Cup tips online through Ladbrokes.com.au on Saturday and enjoy Best Tote or SP + 20% – an offer open on all Flemington races for Emirates Stakes Day!