This afternoon at Hawkesbury Racecourse a small but classy field of milers will line-up in the Rowley Mile 2016, betting tips and the latest odds for the handicap clash found below.

Just eight runners are engaged for this season’s $100,000 Listed Le Petit Rose Hawkesbury Rowley Mile (1600m), due to jump at 4:25pm (AEST) as Race 7 on the card.

Leading the current Rowley Mile betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au at $2.40 and firming is the Chris Waller-trained McCreery, one four in the mix for the star Sydney-based horseman.

Drawn barrier six with Tommy Berry to ride, McCreery is a lightly-raced British raider who has had nine runs for three wins, three seconds and a third to date.

The Big Bad Bob five-year-old is a 1600m specialist having had four previous starts at the distance for a duo of wins and two seconds.

He is as yet untested in black-type company and hasn’t won since a 1600m effort at Gosford back in May, but is tipped as the one to beat by the bookies.

He carted 60kg last time out for a fifth behind Super Tycoon at Rosehill on July 30 over 1350m and getting out over the extra meters here with the 54kg minimum on his back, McCreery should be set to peak.

Hot on his heels is stablemate Marenostro ($3) in barrier five with Tye Angland aboard on 59kg.

The Duelled six-year-old also boasts a strong record over the mile with five wins and a second from nine runs.

His lead-up is full of stakes races including his Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) win at Rosehill two back, while he is out to improve on a third to Allergic from only last Saturday.

On the quick back-up, Marenostro goes up a kilo and up in class, but dropping down from the 1800m should suit after he was beaten under two lengths in that Rosehill Gardens assignment.

So will the top two fancies battle it out for the win or is there value further down the Rowley Stakes odds from the likes of the John Thompson-trained Dragon Flyer ($5.50), Waller’s Shamardal mare Sweet Fire ($6) or even the 62kg top weight Junoob ($9.50) last seen running second in the Listed Winter Cup (2400m) in early July?

1^st

#4 McCreery ($2.40)

Waller saddles-up four including the deserving favourite who, in a small field, looks hard to beat. Berry is aboard, the weight is easy for this import and he should be peaking four runs into his campaign. The distance is ideal (4-2-2-0) and he is every chance to atone for the luckless fifth under the big kilos (60kg) last start.

2^nd

#8 Haymate ($31)

Smokey in the field is the local Jason Attard-trained Oratorio gelding who looks way overs. He might not be up to this class, but he deserves a chance and ticks plenty of boxes. He has form at the track (4-1-1-1), which the others don’t, and has winning form at a mile too. Last run produced a win over 1600m at Wyong in the wet from August 5, albeit in Class 2 company. He is on the minimum and drawn the rails with Jeff Penza staying on. Worth adding to exotics.

3^rd

#1 Junoob ($9.50)

Top weight has all the kilos (62kg) so is ruled out of the win, but this nine-year-old veteran import is still showing a zest for racing and has lots of class. The mile isn’t a good distance for the stayer who has had six runs without a top three finish over the metres, but in this line-up he is a chance for a top three run based on class and experience alone.

Whether you’re backing or sacking our Rowley Mile 2016 betting tips, make sure you’ve got access to the season’s best markets online at Ladbrokes.com.au!