Hallowed Crown has moved into top spot in the 2015 Doncaster Mile odds despite a horror barrier draw for the Royal Randwick classic taking centre stage in Sydney this weekend.

Top three-year-old Hallowed Crown is current 2015 Doncaster Mile betting favourite despite a wide barrier for Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

A capacity final field of 1600m specialists will face off in the last on Day 1 of The Championships this Saturday, 20 guaranteed starters out for their share of the $3 million total prize pool in the Group 1 The Star Doncaster Mile jumping at 5:10pm (AEDT).

Updated Doncaster Mile betting markets opened at Ladbrokes.com.au post-barrier draw this morning with the Bart & James Cummings-trained Hallowed Crown tipped to become the 16^th three-year-old winner of the classic since 1983.

The last youngster to beat home the older runners in a Doncaster was only two years ago when Sacred Falls scored his first in 2013, and now Street Sense colt Hallowed Crown pays $5.50 to be the next.

He’s got a horror barrier to overcome however after drawing barrier 23, which will become 20 with all four emergencies coming out of the race.

Tommy Berry, who partnered Sacred Falls for his 2013 win, has the ride on the current favourite this year replacing Hugh Bowman in the saddle.

Winner of the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) last September, Hallowed Crown also took out the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) over this track and distance two back before a third to 2015 Australian Derby hope Volkstok’n’barrell in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on March 21.

Super Impose (1990) was the last Doncaster Mile winner to get the job done from barrier 20, giving Hallowed Crown one hell of a hoodoo to overcome this weekend.

He is being kept safe in betting by the bookies however and is joined on single-figures by three other runners.

The $6.50 second pick in the markets is second emergency Kermadec for four-time Doncaster Mile winning trainer Chris Waller.

Kermadec needs two scratchings from the field to make the starting line-up on Saturday, but that hasn’t stopped the bookies tipping him as the second best chance for the win.

He too has a wide gate with barrier 19, Glen Boss on standby for the ride aboard the Teofilo colt who comes off a third to Japanese raider Real Impact in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) from March 21.

The two other hopes under double figures to win Saturday’s marquee race are then George Ryder Stakes winner Real Impact ($7) in just his second run down under and the Gai Waterhouse-trained market mover Pornichet ($8.50).

James McDonald stays aboard Deep Impact stallion Real Impact, the veteran seven-year-old racing down under for just the second time chasing back-to-back Group 1s.

No horse of his age has won the Doncaster Mile however since dual champ Pharaoh (1995) and like Hallowed Crown, Real Impact has a wide barrier 21 (into 18) draw to overcome.

The money meanwhile has been steady for in-form French import Pornichet who is drawn in barrier 13, but will jump from 12 with the emergencies out, which is the most successful Doncaster Mile barrier since 1983.

He is also prepared by the race’s equal most successful trainer, Waterhouse looking to surpass the record she currently shares with her father TJ Smith by preparing her eighth Doncaster Mile winner on Saturday.

Kerrin McEvoy has the mount on Vespone stallion Pronichet, the four-year-old on the short seven day turnaround after winning the Group 3 Sellwood Stakes (2000m) last Saturday.

That’s a formula Waterhouse is confident in and she rates the galloper a very nice chance as he drops back down in distance on the weekend.

The next best in the Doncaster Mile odds are then Waller’s runner-up from 12 months ago Royal Descent ($10) coming off a George Ryder fourth, first emergency Sweynesse ($11), Japan’s other international runner World Ace ($14) and dual defending champ Sacred Falls ($16) out to become the first triple winner in the race’s history.

The John O’Shea-trained four-year-old import It’s Somewhat for Godolphin and flying Futurity Stakes winning mare Suavito then round out the hopes under $20 for the win, each paying $17.

See below for the latest Doncaster Mile 2015 odds, fixed win prices open online at Ladbrokes.com.au who are offering Best Tote or SP + 20% on all four of the Group 1s in Sydney this weekend!

2015 Doncaster Mile Odds