Royal Randwick comes to life for Villiers Stakes Day on Saturday and the latest odds plus betting tips for the Christmas Cup 2016 – one of the key support acts on the card – can be found below.

Originally the mile and a half clash attracted a dozen stayers but the field for the $125,000 Listed Christmas Cup (2400m) is down to 11 runners after the scratching of the Darren Weir-trained Lord Van Percy (2).

Heading the latest Christmas Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au in a tight market at $4.60 is Soviet Courage getting in on the 54kg minimum and coming off a Rosehill win over the 2400m.

Chris Waller saddles-up the Dutch Art six-year-old who has a strong record of three wins and three thirds from eight runs at the distance and who drops back notably from the 58.5kg he carried to victory on November 26.

The bookies are having a hard time separating the other top fancies in Christmas Cup betting this Sydney Summer Racing Carnival with a host of other livewire chances hot on the favourite’s heels.

The next best in the markets with genuine claims at the black-type win are the Joe Pride-trained eight-year-old market mover Destiny’s Kiss ($5) who ran fourth last start in the Listed ATC Cup (2000m), Waller’s ATC Cup runner-up Beyond Thankful ($5.50) and Peter Robl’s third placegetter in the same traditional lead-up Iggi Pop ($5.50).

So will this lot dominate the Christmas Cup results or is the value in tipping an upset win from the likes of the John Thompson-trained Danjeu ($8.50) dropping from 57kg last start to 54kg or last start Rosehill winning Excellent Art mare My Psychiatrist ($10)?

1^st

#7 Soviet Courage ($4.60)

Sticking with the favourite prepared by Sydney’s best Waller who is ideally weighted on 54kg, is a genuine mile and a half horse and who drops from 58.5kg last start. He won that run at Rosehill on November 26 by nearly two lengths and should be improving again. Definite winning hope of back-to-back wins at the distance after running down Danjeu – who is in the line-up again here – at Rosehill.

2^nd

#6 Danjeu ($8.50)

Comes off a second to Saturday’s Christmas Cup favourite after being run down late and is another dropping in weight from 57kg to 54kg. Has strong form at 2400m (8-2-2-1) and doesn’t need to improve much to be up in that top two again with Blake Spriggs jumping aboard.

3^rd

#2 Beyond Thankful ($5.50)

Another Waller hope in the mix that the bookies are keeping safe in betting. He is out wide but has the distance to overcome the alley, but needs to handle 57.5kg. Blake Shinn is back aboard after riding him on 56kg for the narrow second when a quarter-length away second in the ATC Cup. Has had three goes at 2400m without a top three finish, but has won over 2300m so is a chance at the distance here.

Whether you’re backing or sacking our Christmas Cup 2016 tips in Sydney on Saturday make sure you’ve got access to the hottest summer racing odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au.