The punters are happy to forgive and forget the unplaced Ladbrokes Manikato run from Bivouac who is back on top of the 2019 Coolmore Stud Stakes betting markets for his run down the famous Flemington straight on Derby Day.

Godolphin three-year-old Bivouac is tipped to return to winning form in the 2019 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

The Melbourne Cup Carnival gets underway on Saturday with a bumper nine-race, all-Group status card including the three-year-old sprinters doing battle in the Group 1 $1.5 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

Held down the iconic ‘Straight Six’ at HQ, this year’s Coolmore Stud Stakes field features 15 young hopefuls with the James Cummings-trained Golden Rose winner Bivouac leading betting at $3.50 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

Winner of the Run To The Rose – Golden Rose double in Sydney, Exceed And Excel colt Bivouac was last seen running 2.45 lengths back sixth as the beaten odds-on favourite behind the filly Loving Gaby at The Valley in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m).

Bivouac didn’t seem to handle the notoriously tight Moonee Valley circuit and getting out on the straight track at Flemington should suit the bay on the quick back-up with Hugh Bowman in the saddle form barrier three.

“He’s been climbing the walls, so we brought him out on Tuesday for some light ­exercise,” Cummings said of Bivouac speaking to the Herald Sun this week.

“He cantered up the straight in even time and looked beautiful doing it.

“The real benefit of that hit-out will come when the pressure goes on Saturday. He will know where he is and what needs to be done.”

Cummings and the powerhouse Godolphin stable also saddle-up Microphone who looks a value pic at $10 for the upset drawn one on the inside of his better fancied stablemate (2).

English hoop James Doyle partners the fellow son of Exceed And Excel who has won four of his seven career starts.

Microphone is the proven Flemington track specialist in this year’s Coolmore Stud Stakes having won his previous two runs down the straight.

During the autumn he defeated subsequent Manikato Stakes winner Loving Gaby in the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).

He is second-up on Saturday having run third to Cosmic Force at Randwick fresh in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) looking a little flat, but sure to improve second-up back at his pet track.

Following the favourite closely in Coolmore Stud Stakes betting at $4.40 is the Team Hawkes-trained Exceedance (11) to be ridden by Dwayne Dunn.

Exceedance comes off back-to-back thirds behind Bivouac in the Run To The Rose and Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) and is sure to be thereabouts again having been kept fresh.

The early Coolmore Stud Stakes market mover is the filly Libertini ($5.50 into $5) with money on the Anthony Cummings-trained daughter of I Am Invincible to beat home the boys.

Sunlight (2018) won the Coolmore Stud Stakes 12 months ago joining Nechita (2012) as the recent fillies to take out the Group 1 sprint classic.

She won the Group 2 Silver Shadow – Furious Stakes double over 1200m at Randwick first and second-up this prep before her last start third when narrowly beaten in a blanket finish behind Funstar in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) on September 21.

Libertini has been freshened-up since and will appreciate the drop-in distance for the Coolmore, the filly three-from-three over 1200m, with Damien Oliver booked for her first look at Flemington.

Rounding out the single-figure fancies at $8 is then the Roman Consul Stakes winner Cosmic Force for Peter & Paul Snowden.

Peter Snowden won the Coolmore Stud Stakes back in 2011 with superstar Sepoy and hopes Cosmic Force can be his next.

The Roman Consul Stakes – Coolmore Stud Stakes double was most recently completed by Brazen Beau (2014).

See below for the full Coolmore Stud Stakes 2019 Field & Barriers, the latest markets available here thanks to Ladbrokes.com.au.

2019 Coolmore Stud Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw