Last year's The Goodwood winner Platelet is back to defend her title this weekend. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

A bumper field of autumn – winter sprinters are set to face off in Adelaide’s The Goodwood 2014 this weekend, and to help you sort the pretenders from the genuine contenders for the Morphettville feature below is our Goodwood form and betting preview.

Due to jump as Race 7 at 3:30pm (local time), this year’s $500,000 Group 1 The Tapestry Wines Goodwood (1200m) features a capacity number of starters.

The first of two emergencies, the John Hickmott-trained Classy Jack, has also gained a start following the early scratching of the Phillip Stokes-trained Éclair Big Bang.

Current The Goodwood odds are led by the Gai Waterhouse-trained Driefontein ($7) out to become the third mare in as many years to win the race on the back of a Robert Sangster Stakes triumph.

Following her in the markets is then the horse that achieved the Adelaide Group 1 sprint double last season, the Darren Weir-trained Platelet ($7.50) who comes off two second place finishes behind Driefontein.

The other single figure fancies are then Andrew Noblet’s ultra-consistent Sistine Demon ($8) out wide in barrier 20 (into 18) and the Darley-owned Lonhro four-year-old Sessions ($9).

So are these four the ones to back in your The Goodwood bets and exotics?

We’ve gone over the field, form guide and history on the classic and come up with the must know The Goodwood facts so you can place the best bets at Ladbrokes.com.au this weekend!

2014 The Goodwood Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s The Goodwood winner was the Darren Weir-trained Platelet who came off a Robert Sangster Stakes win and jumped from barrier 4 (of 16) with Ben Melham aboard
• This year #2 Platelet ($7.50) returns but has a tougher task from barrier 17 (into 15) with Brad Rawiller aboard as she looks to bounce back from a second in the Robert Sangster last start
• Ben Melham meanwhile returns to racing on Saturday shooting for back-to-back The Goodwood wins this time aboard #8 Smokin’ Joey ($26)

• This year’s Robert Sangster Stakes champion also runs in the race with #6 Driefontein looking to secure the same double Platelet (2013) and Black Caviar (2012) have achieved over the past two years
• #6 Driefontein ($7) is the current The Goodwood favourite and has drawn barrier three, a gate yet to produce a winner since 1983
• Other barriers no The Goodwood winner has jumped from in that time are 2, 11, 14, 16, 18 and 19

• Last year’s winning barrier (4) has produced three winners since 1983 and belongs this year to #10 Riziz ($41)
• The most successful The Goodwood barrier meanwhile has been eight with five winners in the past 31 years; this year the gate belongs to #21 Classy Jack ($61) who has now officially gained a start
• The only other horse from Driefontein (1^st) and Platelet (2^nd) to come via this year’s Robert Sangster Stakes meanwhile is #20 Gregers ($10) who ran a good third
• #6 Driefontein has a tough task as the favourite with only four of the past 26 The Goodwood favourites saluting for the punters, and two of the past 10 with Black Caviar (2012) the most recent
• Four of the past 10 The Goodwood winners were also double figure chances bringing the roughies into the mix again this year
• Fillies and mares have dominated The Goodwood in the past four years with three mares and one filly saluting in that time; the female gallopers in the mix this year are the two mares #2 Platelet and #6 Driefontein; and the two fillies #19 Miracles Of Life and #20 Gregers
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #7 Sistine Demon (50%) and #16 Office Bearer (50%)  followed by #19 Miracles Of Life (45%), #10 Riziz (41%), #21 Classy Jack and #14 Pago Rock (37%)
• Horses with the best Morphettville track record are: #2 Platelet (5-2-3-0), #6 Driefontein (2-2-0-0), #19 Miracles Of Life (4-2-2-0), #21 Classy Jack (5-3-0-1), #9 Essay Raider (11-4-4-0), #10 Riziz (11-4-0-2), #12 Karacatis (11-3-5-1), #15 Esprit de Bullet (13-3-0-2) and #4 Conservatorium (17-5-2-0)
• Those with the top form over the distance (1200m) are: #2 Platelet (11-6-2-0),#6 Driefontein (10-4-2-0), #10 Riziz (10-6-0-0), #19 Miracles Of Life (5-2-1-0), #11 Natuzi (11-4-2-0), #7 Sistine Demon (5-1-1-1), #4 Conservatorium (14-5-2-0) and #13 Ready To Rip (15-5-1-1)
• Previous winners at the Track & Distance are then: #10 Rizzi (6-3-0-0), #2 Platelet (3-2-1-0), #4 Conservatorium (10-5-2-0), #6 Driefontein (1-1-0-0), #19 Miracles Of Life (1-1-0-0), #9 Essay Raider (5-1-4-0) and #21 Classy Jack (3-1-0-1)

Stay tuned to Races.com.au to view our insider The Goodwood betting tips shortly.

If you’ve already made your selections though and want to lock them in at the guaranteed best odds then head to Ladbrokes.com.au where you’ll find exclusive Best Tote or SP + 20% markets on The Goodwood this weekend!

2014 The Goodwood Field & Form Guide