Tony Pike’s visiting New Zealand Derby winner Rangipo makes his debut down under this Saturday in Brisbane heading the Fred Best Classic 2016 field at Doomben Racecourse in the last.

Counterattack is one of two Chris Waller-trained hopes in Saturday’s 2016 Fred Best Classic field at Doomben. Photo: Steve Hart.

Closing the Doomben Cup Day card on the weekend as Race 8 at 4:36pm (AEST), this year’s $125,000 Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1350m) has attracted a full 16 starters plus three emergencies.

Wearing the number one saddlecloth and drawn a treat in barrier five for regular rider back in NZ Vinnie Colgan is Pike’s in-form Stryker gelding Rangipo.

The youngster has won seven of his 12 starts to date including three on the trot at home and the Group 1 NZ Derby (2400m) last start in early March.

He is first-up on the weekend after a freshen-up and Pike is confident he the 1350m won’t be too sharp as his horse, who he isn’t convinced is a genuine stayer despite the Derby success, heads towards an Eagle Farm run on June 11 in the $400,000 Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m).

A host of other hopefuls in the Fred Best Classic field this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival also come off a last-start win including the Gary Moore-trained Takedown who has work to do from a wide alley.

Tim Clark retains the ride on the son of Stratum who is drawn the outside alley (19 into 16) and comes off a win in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) from May 7.

Prior to that Takedown caught the eye crossing just over half a length away third behind Chris Waller’s Group 1 winner Japonisme in the Group 2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) at Randwick.

Waller also prepared this year’s Arrowfield Sprint runner-up Counterattack who is another Fred Best Classic acceptor in Queensland on the weekend.

The Redoute’s Choice colt, third also to Japonisme in the spring’s Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington, was scratched from last weekend’s Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) in favour of an easier run in this weekend against his own kind.

James McDonald jumps aboard Counterattack in the last on Doomben Cup Day, the horse the second-widest drawn runner in the set weights clash.

Another in-form galloper drawn in double-digits is the Darren Weir-trained Rageese (14) shooting for his third consecutive win.

Kerrin McEvoy rides the Street Cry colt whose last start was in Adelaide on April 30 for a runaway 4.2 length win in Morphettville’s Listed Nitschke Stakes (1400m).

Also shooting for three on the trot and representing the Waller stable is Sebring grey Sir Bacchus who comes off back-to-back 1200m wins at Rosehill and jumps from gate eight on Saturday with Hugh Bowman aboard.

One of the best of the local hopes meanwhile is the Desleigh Forster-trained Rothesay colt Too Good To Refuse who comes off a devastatingly close second to stablemate Cylinder Beach in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1630m) at Doomben in late April.

Gunsynd Classic third placegetter Havasay is also accepted for a rematch in the Fred Best, the Liam Birchley-trained gelding having had four starts at the Doomben track for a second and two thirds to date.

See below for the full Fred Best Classic 2016 field, barriers and jockeys before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost – to back your weekend selections!

2016 Fred Best Classic Final Field & Barrier Draw

Doomben Race 8 (4:36pm) – 21/05/2016