While four of the weekend’s five Group 1 spring features take place in Melbourne, Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse is also host to elite level racing on Saturday with the 2014 Spring Champion Stakes.

First Seal is out to break the favourites' hoodoo in Saturday's 2014 Spring Champion Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart.

Many of the season’s top three-year-olds face off in the Caulfield Guineas this weekend at Caulfield Racecourse, but the $400,000 Group 1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) is also a top event for that age group held on Saturday.

A nice lead-up to the $1.5 million Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 1 and the $500,000 Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) the following Thursday, the Spring Champion Stakes field features nine hopefuls this year.

Odds-on favourite in the Spring Champion Stakes betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au at $1.85 and firming is John Thompson’s Group 1 winning filly from last weekend First Seal.

She defeated her own kind in the Flight Stakes over the Randwick mile seven days ago on Saturday and this time takes on the boys looking for her third straight win.

Joining First Seal at single figures in the Spring Champion Stakes odds are then the undefeated 2014 Victoria Derby hope Sweynesse ($3.60) and the Paul Messara-trained George Main Stakes fifth placegetter Panzer Division ($6.50).

To help you determine whether the well fancied trio are also the ones to back with your Spring Champion Stakes bets at Ladbrokes.com.au we’ve gone over the field and form guide and come up with the below must know facts on the classic.

2014 Spring Champion Stakes Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Spring Champion Stakes winner was the Peter Snowden-trained Complacent who came off back-to-back wins including the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) and jumped from barrier one (of 14) with Christian Reith in the saddle
• This year Snowden and Reith are without representation
• Gai Waterhouse is the equal most successful Spring Champion Stakes winning trainer along with Snowden preparing three winners from 15 starts; this year Waterhouse shoots for her fourth with #2 Valentia ($17) and #4 Hampton Court ($14)
• Gloaming Stakes winner #1 Sweynesse ($3.60) however looks to complete the double for the second straight year and defend his undefeated four-from-four record to date
• The Gloaming Stakes is one of the key lead-up races into the Spring Champion Stakes producing six of the past 11 winners
• All six of those ran top two in the Gloaming Stakes and along with the winner Sweynesse the other Spring Champion Stakes hope coming via the event is #5 Pounamu (3^rd)
• The best lead-up race producing three Spring Champion Stakes winners since 2000 then is the Group 3 Spring Champion Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle which Sweynesse also won and Pounamu ran second in
• The Spring Champion hopes coming out of the Spring Stakes meanwhile is #4 Hampton Court (4^th)
• Last year’s winning barrier (1) meanwhile belongs to #9 Press Report who is one of two fillies in the race
• Barrier one has produced three Spring Champion Stakes winners since 1983
• The equal most successful barriers with five wins each in that time meanwhile are two and eight which belong this year to #5 Pounamu ($21) in barrier two and #6 Lie Direct ($61) in barrier eight
• The only barrier related to this year’s field size that has produced no winners in 31 years is six with #7 Drum Roll ($101) out to break the hoodoo on Saturday
• Along with #1 Sweynesse (Group 3 Gloaming Stakes, 1800m, Rosehill, 27/09/2014) the other two last start winners in the mix this year are #4 Hampton Court (Listed Dulcify Quality, 1600m, Randwick, 04/10/2014) and #8 First Seal (Group 1 Flight Stakes, 1600m, Randwick, 04/10/2014)
• #8 First Seal ($1.85) is also the clear favourite to win and is out to become the first favourite to salute for the punters since Platinum Scissors (2002)

• The horse with the highest Win Rate is the undefeated #1 Sweynesse (100%) followed by #8 First Seal (60%), #7 Drum Roll (50%) and #3 Panzer Division (50%)
• #1 Sweynesse (100%) also has the top Place Rate equal with #7 Drum Roll (100%) and followed by #8 First Seal (80%) and #3 Panzer Division (75%)

• Previous winners at the Randwick track are #2 Valentia (5-2-0-2), #8 First Seal (2-2-0-0), #3 Panzer Division (3-1-1-0) and #4 Hampton Court (1-1-0-0)
• None of the hopefuls have been up over the 2000m distance before

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for our insider Spring Champion Stakes 2014 betting tips up before Saturday.

Before then why not check out the full range of odds and betting options for the weekend’s racing online now at Ladbrokes.com.au and take advantage of their Megapick offer on Caulfield Guineas Day where for $3 you could win $3 million!

2014 Spring Champion Stakes Field & Form Guide