Moonee Valley racing is headlined by Winx in the Cox Plate on Saturday but as a warm-up a star-lined field of sprinters face off at the track on Friday night in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes 2017, tips and updated odds on the showdown found below.

Viddora is the upset Races.com.au team’s tip to win the 2017 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes at The Valley tonight. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

Due to run as Moonee Valley Race 7 at 9:30pm (AEDT) under the lights this evening, the Group 1 $1 million Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) field is down to 11 after the early scratching of the Darren Weir-trained Voodoo Lad (1).

Drawn the rails with Winx jockey Hugh Bowman booked for the ride, Voodoo Lad shaped up as a genuine roughie hope in Manikato Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.

The team trotted him up this morning however and weren’t happy with his action, so have opted to omit him from the line-up.

That has seen the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes odds firm further on the Lindsay Park-trained favourite Vega Magic who is now into odds-on territory at $1.85.

Vega Magic now moves into barrier two and Craig Williams has the ride on the flying five-year-old who is a dual Group 1 winner coming off the unlucky second in the $10 million The Everest (1200m) in Sydney a fortnight ago.

If the red hot favourite doesn’t show-up at The Valley there has been money for the Benjamin Smith-trained mare In Her Time ($6) who gets the inside run from barrier one, which produced a trio of Manikato Stakes winners from 2009-11.

She’s two-from-two at Randwick this time in and Corey Brown is aboard the often underrated daughter of Time Thief who gets things her way from the barrier.

The only other single-figure hope is the 2015 champ Chautauqua on the drift out to $8.

He hasn’t won since securing the third Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) win in the autumn, finding himself too far back in the runs this campaign.

That was the case in The Everest when he flashed home for fourth, but if he’s closer on the pace tonight presents as a danger.

Earlier we published our comprehensive Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes 2017 Form Guide & Betting Preview, our insider tips on the weight-for-age sprint now detailed below based on the facts and stats uncovered.

1^st

#10 Viddora ($19)

In the past two years there has only been two double-figure Manikato Stakes winners, but taking on the favourite and going out on a limb this season with the forgotten Viddora. Gets a gun run from barrier three and will be fitter after the first-up second when just denied an elite level win by the filly She Will Reign in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m). No denying this five-year-old mare is better at 1000 – 1100m, in fact she’s yet to win at 1200m. That said, she was runner-up in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) in May and loves Moonee Valley (4: 0-2-1). She doesn’t know how to run a bad race, the mares have a decent strike-rate in this race and she can surprise at a price.

2^nd

#2 Vega Magic ($1.85)

Odds-on favourite, this ultra-consistent WA expat was very unlucky not to win the world’s richest turf race when held-up in The Everest. Very well-supported to atone tonight in the Manikato Stakes from barrier two with Williams riding. Won four on the trot before The Everest loss, including Adelaide’s Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) and the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Is full of class and versatility and will be up on the speed in this, just needs to handle the turns at The Valley to salute.

3^rd

#9 In Her Time ($6)

Easing odds on offer for In Her Time who is at Moonee Valley for the first time with the run from barrier one. Didn’t get a start in The Everest, but was impressive winning the Sydney Stakes instead. Before that she held off English in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m). May be looking for further now, but is classy and rock hard fit now.

Whether you’re backing or sacking our Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes 2017 tips, head to race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au for the best Moonee Valley odds and offers this Cox Plate Carnival.