Bjorn Baker’s lightly-raced three-year-old Addictive Nature is tipped as the one to beat second-up on Saturday in a Winx-less Apollo Stakes 2018 betting market at Royal Randwick.

Addictive Nature is early favourite in Apollo Stakes 2018 betting for his second-up run on the weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.

The non-inclusion of Chris Waller’s dual defending champion Winx, who instead runs in a race simulation ahead of her rescheduled first-up run on March 3 in the Chipping Norton Stakes, has blown the markets on this year’s Group 2 $250,000 The Star Apollo Stakes (1400m) wide open.

There are nine weight-for-age hopefuls in the mix and six are currently under $10 for the win in the Apollo Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

In a tough-to-call affair for the punters, the early favourite at $3.80 is Baker’s smart Savabeel colt Addictive Nature who comes off a lead-up third to Trapeze Artist in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on February 3.

He takes on the older horses on Saturday from barrier five with Adam Hyeronimus taking over for Jason Collett in the saddle.

Fitter for his resuming run, Addictive Nature also looks better suited to 1400m of the Apollo Stakes having enjoyed a Group 3 win in the Ming Dynasty Quality over the distance at Rosehill last August before his third to Gold Standard in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m).

It is a logjam after the favourite in Apollo Stakes betting with Comin’ Through the next best fancied at $4.80.

One of two in the line-up for last year’s winning trainer Waller, Fastnet Rock four-year-old Comin’ Through races for the first time since his disappointing 15^th to Tosen Stardom in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Flemington last October.

He has better Sydney form, is yet to finish worse than third in his five 1400m runs to date (5:3-1-1) and is also two-from-three first-up.

Addictive Nature’s Expressway Stakes hoop Collett is on Comin’ Through instead on Saturday with the horse facing an easier field than he has in quite some time.

Equal third favourites at $5.50 each are the rails-drawn Prized Icon and Waller’s other runner Endless Drama in gate three.

Glyn Schofield partners Kris Lees’ multiple Group 1 winner Prized Icon who is also second-up after a lead-up Sydney placing, the More Than Ready four-year-old beaten home at big odds when runner-up in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) on January 27.

A VRC Derby winner as a three-year-old, the valuable stallion prospect strips fitter here and loves the Randwick track making him a genuine danger.

Last year’s Apollo Stakes third placegetter, Endless Drama also gets the chance to improve off a Carrington Stakes placing.

The Lope De Vega six-year-old was only a length beaten for third first-up and should present fitter here.

That was his first run since finishing dead last when things went amiss last April in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and on Saturday the entire chases a maiden win down under.

Rounding out the single-figure fancies are Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s two-time winning Star Witness mare Global Glamour ($7) coming off a fourth in the Expressway Stakes and the Carrington Stakes winner Lanciato ($8.50) who chases a third win on the trot going up from 53kg to 59kg.

Check out the latest Apollo Stakes 2018 odds below with markets now open at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2018 Apollo Stakes Odds