A field of Group 1 bound three-year-old fillies face off at Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday in the Thousand Guineas Prelude 2016, betting tips and the latest odds for which are found below.

Samara Dancer shapes up as a top three hope in the 2016 Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Due to jump at 2:55pm (AEST) as Race 5 on the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Day card, this season’s $200,000 Group 2 Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) field is down to 13 after the scratching of Sweet Sherry (1).

Her withdrawal has the remaining fillies all coming in one closer to the rails from their original Thousand Guineas Prelude barrier draw.

Heading the updated Thousand Guineas Prelude odds for the traditional lead-up to the $500,000 Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) held on October 8 is Whispering Brook.

Simon Miller’s three-time Group winner from Western Australia has been heavily supported at Ladbrokes.com.au backed in from $6.50 to $3.50 despite her wide draw (12 into 11).

Nicholas Hall jumps on for her second-up run in Melbourne following her devastatingly close second to Merriest at Moonee Valley from another wide alley – 12 of 13 – in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) last start.

The other best fancied fillies in the Thousand Guineas Prelude betting markets this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival include the Henry Dwyer-trained Quezette Stakes runner-up Leotie ($4.40) coming off a win at the track and distance, the Phillip Stokes-trained Group 2 winner Samara Dancer ($6.50) out to improve on her close third to Saracino in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) first-up and the progressive Lindsay Park-trained Sebring Dream ($7.50).

So will the best in betting get the job done or is there value further down the markets for an upset Thousand Guineas Prelude result from the likes of the Quezette Stakes winner two back I Am A Star ($9.50), Robbie Laing’s Fastnet Rock filly Missrock ($12) or Group 1 winning New Zealand raider La Luna Rossa ($15)?

1^st

#4 La Luna Rossa ($15)

The Kiwi form from this season’s three-year-olds has really been stacking up down under and we think that can continue at good odds for this Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained daughter of Written Tycoon. In the autumn she won back-to-back races including the Group 1 Sires’ over 1400m on a Heavy (10). She’ll get a mile no worries, and can be forgiven for going down a whisker as the beaten odds-on favourite first-up over 1200m. This is her first trip to Oz, but she’s smart and the distance looks ideal. Plus Damien Oliver comes on in a big plus for her debut in Melbourne.

2^nd

#1 Whispering Brook ($3.50)

Deserving favourite based on her gun form as a two-year-old back in Perth that saw the nicely-bred daughter of Hinchinbrook win her five opening starts including three Group races. She’s got form over 1400m in Group 3 company from mid-August and the first-up Moonee Valley run was brave. She was narrowly beaten, improving over extra metres second-up and Caulfield should suit. Has proven wide barriers aren’t her undoing so the gate is a non-issue, so with a clear run she’ll be hard to hold off.

3^rd

#3 Samara Dancer ($6.50)

Drawn one outside of the favourite is this fellow Hinchinbrook filly who has Group 2 winning form at the track as a two-year-old in the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude back in February. She only beat home two rivals in the Group 1 next start, but was given the lengthy rest after that and trialled well twice before a nice return. She went down only a length to gun New Zealand colt Saracino in the Danehill, is out over more metres here which looks to suit and Dom Tourneur retains the ride as she gets back to racing against her own kind.

Whether you’re backing or sacking our Thousand Guineas Prelude 2016 tips make sure you get the right price by betting online with Ladbrokes.com.au!