Grant and Alana Williams’ progressive gelding Action is tipped to return to winning form with a step-up in distance heading the WATC Derby 2018 betting markets for Saturday in Perth.

2018 WATC Derby favourite Action is a stablemate to the 2015 winner Delicacy (pictured) representing Grant & Alana Williams. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

This year’s Group 2 $400,000 Schweppes W.A.T.C. Derby (2400m) field runs at a capacity 16 starters with a total of 18 final acceptors leading to two emergencies.

Early WATC Derby odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au have three runners battling for top spot, Action holding narrow favouritism at $4.50 after a favourable barrier four draw.

Ace hoop William Pike jumps aboard the well-bred son of Pierro who is out to improve on his luckless lead-up fifth in the Listed Melvista Stakes (2200m).

Action hasn’t won a race since a Bunbury One Maiden Win race back in mid-October last year, but the bookies are tipping him to relish the mile and half of the Derby.

The early WATC Derby favourite is raced by prolific Perth owner-breeder Bob Peters who chases his seventh success in the race.

Occupying the second line of WATC Derby betting at $5 is the rails-drawn Sentimental Friend, also prepared by Team Williams who have a total of six final acceptors in the set weights clash.

Shaun McGruddy retains the ride on Al Maher gelding Sentimental Friend, also Peters-owned, who ran second in the Melvista Stakes last time out.

The other Williams-trained runners in the WATC Derby field on the weekend are: two-time winner at the track Tellem We’re Comin ($10), the WA Oaks winning filly Special Alert ($11) out wide in gate 17 (into 15), WA Oaks third placed American Joy ($21) with the outside alley to overcome and Savabeel filly Magical Charm ($18) drawn betting in barrier two after her fourth in the WA Oaks from gate 13 of 16.

The trio of Williams-trained fillies headed by Special Alert are looking to continue a strong recent record of the girls in the WATC Derby results with Delicacy (2015) and Arcadia Dream (2016) going back-to-back of late.

Lou Luciani’s narrow WA Oaks runner-up, Blackfriars filly Like A Butterfly ($13), is also in the mix this weekend chasing her first win since the Listed Ascot 1000 Guineas (1800m) back in March as a $31 roughie.

The other major player in the WA Derby field and odds this autumn is the in-form Melvista Stakes winner Money Maher paying $5.50 to keep the wins coming.

Prepared by the Karnup-based duo of Daniel & Ben Pearce, Al Maher colt Money Maker won the Listed JC Roberts Stakes (1800m) two back before the narrow Melvista victory.

Saturday he has to extend his brilliance over 2400m and is drawn barrier nine with Jarrad Noske continuing his association.

See below for the full WATC Derby 2018 field and betting markets, odds open now at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2018 WATC Derby Field & Odds