A capacity Coolmore Stud Stakes 2017 field featuring 20 three-year-old sprinters has been released ahead of Victoria Derby Day on Saturday and Godolphin’s undefeated youngster Viridine has drawn the inside alley.

Viridine is out to retain his undefeated record from barrier one in the capacity 2017 Coolmore Stud Stakes field at Flemington on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

Due to run as Flemington Race 5 on the all Group-race card at 2:25pm (AEDT), the Group 1 $1 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) is one of four elite level events on the opening Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting.

James Cummings and the Godolphin stable have three runners in the Coolmore Stud Stakes field including Poet’s Voice colt Viridine who has won all four of his career starts in Sydney.

The up-and-comer was last seen beating home Single Bullet by two lengths in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 7.

Looking to prove his versatility in his Melbourne debut down the famous Flemington straight on Saturday, Viridine is out to be the fourth Coolmore Stud Stakes winner in five years to come out of the Roman Consul Stakes.

The other three were all Chris Waller-trained including Zoustar (2013) and Brazen Beau (2014) who both did the double.

The stable’s other two runners are last start Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas runner-up over the mile Kementari dropping back in distance and Exceed And Excel colt Malahat drawn in barriers 12 and eight respectively.

Trainer Mick Price won the Coolmore Stud Stakes last year with Flying Artie and returns chasing back-to-back wins with his Zoffany colt Lone Eagle.

Flying Artie came off a lead-up win in Caulfield’s Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m), a race Lone Eagle finished under two lengths back third in on October 18 as a $31 roughie.

Blue Sapphire Stakes winner Formality also backs-up in the Coolmore Stud Stakes field after the double as one of three Lindsay Park-trained fillies taking on the colts and geldings.

Headway (2009) and Nechita (2012) are the two most recent Coolmore Stud Stakes winning fillies and the Lindsay Park trio shape-up as huge hopes in 2017.

Formality has Kerrin McEvoy retaining the ride as she chases her fourth win in five starts in her Melbourne debut.

She is joined in the line-up by stablemates Catchy and Tulip who didn’t fare as well in the Coolmore Stud Stakes barrier draw coming up with gates 17 and 13 respectively.

Hugh Bowman comes aboard Catchy, winner of the autumn’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), who has been freshened-up after her brave third to Mighty Boss over the mile in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas.

The nasty barrier is a blow for the gun filly who has won over $1.4 million in prize money, but Catchy is proven at the track / distance having saluted over Jukebox to win the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) back in mid-September.

Tulip is back against her own kind after the Pierro filly put in a huge late effort to run a credible fifth as a $61 roughie behind Redzel when taking on the older sprinters in the inaugural $10 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14.

The Toby Edmonds-trained Houtzen is the other filly backing-up out of The Everest, the consistent daughter of I Am Invincible having run seventh.

Other standout Coolmore Stud Stakes horses this year include Gerald Ryan’s upset Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) winner Trapeze Artist out in barrier 18, Blue Sapphire Stakes runner-up Jukebox in gate three and the in-form Goodfella up in class after back-to-back Randwick wins.

See below for the full Coolmore Stud Stakes 2017 field and barriers, with updated odds to open shortly at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 Coolmore Stud Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Flemington Race 5 (2:25pm) – 04/11/2017