There might be no Group 1 racing at Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday but the Easter Cup Day card is still full of talent including the Victoria Handicap 2016 field, betting tips on the middle distance sprint found below.

Due to run as Caulfield Race 7 at 4:10pm (AEDT), this year’s $150,000 Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) features a full 16 runners led in the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au by Group 1 runner-up last time out Black Heart Bart ($3.40).

Darren Weir took over the training of this former Perth star earlier in the year and the Blackfriars five-year-old debut for the Melbourne Cup winning stable on March 12 when a surprise runner-up to The Quarterback in Flemington’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m).

He is right down in class this weekend and stepping up to a distance he boasts four wins and two seconds from seven previous runs at.

This is Black Heart Bart’s first Caulfield assignment and he goes up from 53.5kg to the 58.5kg top weight, which could be the deciding factor, but the bookies are keeping him safe in betting for now.

The next best fancied in the Victoria Handicap odds are Leon & Troy Corstens’ last start Flemington winner over the distance Tried And Tired ($6) and Charmed Harmony ($7.50) in a good barrier four draw third-up.

So can Black Heart Bart overcome the kilos and win the Group 3 on Easter Saturday in Melbourne or is there an upset Victoria Handicap result on the cards from the likes of Tried And Tired’s stablemate Zebrinz ($11) or the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained last start Group 3 winner Red Bomber ($9)?

1^st

#1 Black Heart Bart ($3.40)

He’s got the big kilos to overcome, but this is an easy field for him to defeat after the stars he had behind him for his close Newmarket second last start. He’s carried this kind of weight without a worry back in Perth to victory, has a gun 1400m record (7-4-2-0) and if he runs like he did in the Group 1 at Flemington he’ll be hard to deny here.

2^nd

#13 Zebrinz ($11)

At double figures this Sebring five-year-old looks overs third-up for Team Corstens. He’s a dual 1400m winner and ran a brave fourth in a blanket finish when beaten a half-length by Red Bomber in the Group 3 on March 5 at Flemington. Well weighted here on just 54kg and drawn a treat in gate five. The smokey in the field for sure over this trip.

3^rd

#4 Red Bomber ($9)

Comes off a second-up win over some class types second-up and should improve again off that now three runs into the autumn. Caulfield suits as he has three wins from six starts and he can be forgiven for the CF Orr 16^th first-up in an ace field. Drops a half-kilo off his last run to 57kg and Nicholas Hall rides.

Get behind our favourites across the Easter long weekend at the best prices through Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost!