Lee & Anthony Freedman’s VRC St Leger winner Authoritarian has opened co-favourite along with three other rivals to take out the 2015 South Australian Derby in Adelaide this weekend.

There are officially 40 three-year-olds nominated for Saturday’s $500,000 Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m), four of which sit top of the all-in markets at a quote of $6 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

One of those top fancies is in-form Authorized gelding Authoritarian, a winner of his past two starts on the trot including the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington on April 25.

With winning form over 300m further than the 2500m of Saturday’s showdown, the distance is a definite non-issue for the young Flemington-based stayer.

He is joined at the top of the futures SA Derby odds, which are set to shorten with the release of the final field on Wednesday, by Delicacy, Manapine and October Date.

Grant Williams’ Al Maher filly Delicacy is number one on the ballot for the Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival showdown on Saturday, the flying youngster having won her past five starts on the trot.

The first four of those were in Perth including the Group 3 WA Oaks (2400m) – Group 2 WATC Derby (2400m) double at Ascot in March and April.

She then travelled interstate for the first time last Saturday and enjoyed a tidy one and a quarter length win over her own kind in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m), form connections are hoping she can repeat at the same track on Saturday against the boys.

Nigel Blackiston prepares Manhattan Rain gelding Manapine, another last start Melbourne winner out to show them up in Adelaide on the weekend.

A disappointing 10^th when last tested in Group 1 company in the Australian Guineas over the mile back on March 7, Manapine was last seen winning the Listed Galilee Final (2500m) at Flemington on April 11.

The last of the four equal SA Derby favourites is then Nick Smart’s local Barley A Moment gelding October Date looking to keep the trophy at home on Saturday.

A winner of three of his six career starts to date, October Date was in Melbourne two back when fourth to Chill Party in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) before his narrow Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2020m) win at Morphettville on Anzac Day.

The Chairman’s Handicap produced last year’s South Australian Derby winner with Kushadasi running fourth in the lead-up before his Group 1 triumph 12 months ago.

The last of the single figure hopes in early South Australian Derby betting is then Magicool at a current quote of $8.

Mark Kavanagh prepares the Fastnet Rock gelding from his Flemington stables, Magicool having won over 2000m at Caulfield before his flat eighth in the Chairman’s that he is tipped to improve on this weekend if accepted.

The next best in betting for the big one in Adelaide this weekend are then Andrew Campbell’s last Start Group 2 winning Kiwi raider Werther ($11) and the Pat Carey-trained All I Survey ($13) who ran third to Manapine two back in the Galilee Series Final.

Other notable three-year-olds in the first half of the markets include another New Zealand-trained galloper Gifted Lad ($15) who ran third in the VRC St Leger in his debut run down under, Michael Kent’s Galilee Final runner-up Oncidium Ruler ($15), the John O’Shea-trained last start Cranbourne winner Allergic ($17), Robert Smerdon’s Viscount gelding Brouhaha ($17) and VRC St Leger runner-up Cuban Fighter ($17).

Check out the full futures South Australian Derby 2015 betting odds below, following the links to Ladbrokes.com.au to lock in the juicy early prices before markets firm on Wednesday!

2015 SA Derby Odds