Two smart stayers are currently battling for top spot in Saturday’s 2013 Turnbull Stakes odds with Puissance De Lune and Fiorente leading markets on the Flemington feature.

Puissance De Lune (grey) is the narrow 2013 Turnbull Stakes betting favourite for Saturday. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

One of the real highlights of the weekend, this year’s $500,000 Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) has attracted a capacity field including 10 individual Group 1 winners.

But it’s two of the non-elite level champs that are sitting one-two in the current Turnbull Stakes odds with current 2013 Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune the narrow favourite at $4.40.

The speed will need to be on in the 16-starter field for Darren Weir’s Shamardal grey to get into the right position to win from their inside barrier one draw, which will be up to jockey Glen Boss.

Boss has had Puissance De Lune tipped as the Melbourne Cup winner since their five length romp in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) last November.

The triple Melbourne Cup winning hoop still has confidence too despite Puissance De Lune’s last start seventh to It’s A Dundeel in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) believing Saturday’s inside alley will hold the key.

“I reckon it’s great,” he told The Daily Telegraph of the barrier.

“Unlike last start (when snagged back from wide gate) I can ride him where I want. It’s going to be up to me to get off the fence.”

The early Turnbull Stakes betting market mover meanwhile is last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up Fiorente drawn at the other end of the field in gate 14.

Firming into $4.60 Gai Waterhouse’s talented import showed they were coming along nicely for this and another go at the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) next month with their last start win in the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.

Outside of the top two there are then three other stayers in the Turnbull Stakes field and markets under $10 with:

• #16 Royal Descent ($6) – Chris Waller-trained ATC Oaks winner from last season, the now four-year-old Redoute’s Choice mare has been in top form this time in including her last start second in the George Main
• #4 Super Cool ($7.50) – Took out the Australian Cup in the autumn, Mark Kavanagh’s consistent son of Fastnet Rock has had two good runs this time in when third to Atlantic Jewel in the Memsie and then fourth in the Dato with improvement to come with extra distance run
• #5 Hawkspur ($9.50) – Another Waller-trained Group 1 champ, Hawkspur won the Queensland Derby over the mile and a half in Brisbane during the winter and is now favourite for the Caulfield Cup in a couple of weeks, won first-up in the Chelmsford then finished fourth in the George Main, gets back up to a more suitable distance here but must handle the Melbourne way of going for the first time

Just outside of these is then Fawkner ($10) who owner Lloyd Williams must rate highly.

Fawkner only made the Turnbull field after Williams decided not to accept for his cups bound duo of Sea Moon and the reigning Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon.

Sea Moon will instead put their cup’s bid on the line in Saturday’s $120,000 Listed The Bart Cummings (2520m) while Green Moon will be saved for the $400,000 Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) Saturday week.

Drawn in gate eight with Nicholas Hall to ride, Reset six-year-old Fawkner was runner-up in the Emirates Stakes last spring and was last seen finishing fifth to Streama in the George Main Stakes over the Randwick mile in Sydney.

Generous prices are then available on the bulk of the other Turnbull contenders as they are not expected to peak until later during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

However some double figure hopes that could prove the value bet of Turnbull Stakes Day include Kiwi raider Silent Achiever ($18), Dear Demi ($21) coming off a good third in the Underwood behind Cox Plate fancy It’s A Dundeel and even last year’s Emirates Stakes winner Happy Trails ($31).

Current fixed win Turnbull Stakes odds are listed below. But remember, Ladbrokes.com.au’ awesome DOUBLE THE ODDS promo starts this weekend.

So you can get any runner in the Turnbull Stakes at double their fixed win price like the favourite Puissance De Lune at a juicy $8.80!

Don’t wait – Double Your Odds on the Turnbull today!

2013 Turnbull Stakes Odds

Flemington Race 8 – 4:25pm (AEST) – 05/10/2013

*Fixed Win odds provided by Ladbrokes.com.au and subject to change