Peter Snowden’s raging favourite Guelph has scared off the bulk of competitors as she did last start with only a handful of fellow three-year-old fillies brave enough to take her on in this Wednesday’s Thousand Guineas 2013.

Guelph is clearly the filly to beat in the 2013 Thousand Guineas this Wednesday. Photo: Steve Hart.

Running as Caulfield Race 6 at 3:40pm (AEST) this year’s $500,000 Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) has drawn a final field of nine hopefuls.

In the number one saddlecloth and seeking her fourth Group 1 trophy already is the talented Exceed And Excel filly Guelph.

She was a dual Group 1 champ over the boys as a juvenile winning the ATC Sires Produce – Champagne Stakes double, before coming back to do it again this time over the girls in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) third-up at Randwick on October 5.

Now she heads to Melbourne for the first time since her Blue Diamond Stakes ninth back in February to prove she can handle the other way of racing for back-to-back Group 1’s over a mile.

The Flight Stakes was nothing more than a trial for Snowden’s princess who beat home Sensibility by nearly two lengths, cantering to the line with Kerrin McEvoy aboard.

McEvoy stays on for Wednesday’s Thousand Guineas run, the pair drawn in gate five.

While Sensibility won’t back-up from the Flight Stakes, third place-getter in that race Bound For Earth will for trainer John O’Shea.

They are drawn in barrier seven with Kiwi-expat James McDonald to ride and are out to turn the tables having also run third to Guelph in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) two back.

Bound For Earth did get the better of Guelph first-up however in a narrow Group 2 Furious Stakes upset, but that was over 1200m and she’s been struggling to stay in touch with her over more distance since.

O’Shea will also be represented by Gypsy Diamond who has come up trumps with barrier one, the Not  A Single Doubt filly looking to bounce back on her seventh in the Listed Reginald Allan Quality (1400m) at Rosehill from September 28.

Aside from the sure-to-be odds-on favourite Guelph, there are three other last start winners in the Thousand Guineas field that come into the clash via a different lead-up.

The first is the David Hayes-trained Gregers drawn in gate two.

A daughter of Commands, Gregers boasts a consistent record of four wins from six starts most recently wining the Listed Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 21.

While it would seem the Thousand Guineas Prelude would be the best lead-up to the Group 1, the form on that race doesn’t look to be the one to beat this year.

Matt Laruie then has Se Sauver in barrier four while May’s Dream for Darren Weir will jump from barrier three looking fro back-to-back Caulfield wins having defeated Bulbula on September 29.

Bel Esprit filly Se Sauver meanwhile could be a genuine challenger here as on October 5 they won over the 1600m in Melbourne beating a good field to win the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes.

It was a tight finish but one she is sure to improve on having now been up over the distance and enjoyed a confidence boosting win.

Rounding out the Thousand Guineas 2013 field are then the autumn’s Blue Diamond Stakes third placed Godiva Rock, Miracle To Me and Anthony Cummings’ Wordplay.

Check out the full Thousand Guineas field, jockeys, barriers and weights below then head to Ladbrokes.com.au to get in on this week’s elite racing and betting action at the guaranteed best prices!

2013 Thousand Guineas Final Field & Barrier Draw

Caulfield Race 6 – 3:40pm (AEST) – 16/10/2013