This Friday night under the lights at Moonee Valley Racecourse a number of Caulfield Guineas hopes will use the 2013 Bill Stutt Stakes as a lead-up to next month’s Group 1.

Running as the sixth on a crack program for Moir Stakes Night, this year’s $220,000 Group 2 City Jeep Stutt Stakes (1600m) has drawn a final field of 12 gallopers.

A number of the young acceptors are using the Stutt Stakes as a stepping stone to another even bigger mile event for their kind at Caulfield on October 12, the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).

The shortest-priced of the Stutt Stakes runners in the latest Caulfield Guineas odds is Shamus Award ($15) who has drawn gate four with Craig Williams to ride on Friday night.

Danny O’Brien’s Snitzel colt was in top form as a juvenile last season with performances including their Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes fifth and their close second in the Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) in March.

This time in they’ve had two runs and are out to improve on their last start seventh to Caulfield Guineas favourite Long John in the Listed Henry Bucks Best Dressed Stakes (1400m) from September 7.

The other more notable Caulfield Guineas-bound runner in the Stutt Stakes is then the Gai Waterhouse-trained Divine Calling ($16), the Stratum grey coming off a win over the 1500m at this track from two weeks ago.

Divine Calling is one of four last start winners facing off here along with their stablemate Countryman, Peter Moody’s last start Seymour champ Crime Fighter and the lightly-raced Last Sight.

Also worth a note are the Anthony Cummings-trained Cluster coming off a Golden Rose eighth, Late Charge and the Peter Snowden-trained Henry Bucks third placegetter San Diego who won two on the trot in March.

The most notable non-acceptor for the Stutt Stakes meanwhile was $7.50 Caulfield Guineas fancy Prince Harada.

Check out the full Stutt Stakes 2013 field, barriers and jockeys below then head to Ladbrokes.com.au to back your favourites for this and the Guineas at the guaranteed best prices!

2013 City Jeep Stutt Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Moonee Valley Race 6 – 8:45pm (AEST) – 27/09/2013