A rejuvenated Emirates Stakes 2016 runs at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, a detailed form guide and betting preview for the $2 million weight-for-age classic found below.

Scottish comes back from 2400m to his pet distance of 2000m for the 2016 Emirates Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Formerly run a week earlier as the Mackinnon Stakes, for the first time this year the $2 million Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m) takes place on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Attracted a final field of 13 hopefuls, the Emirates Stakes is set to run as Flemington Race 7 at 4:15pm (AEDT).

Heading the latest Emirates Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are The United States ($4.20) and Vadamos ($4.60) who are tipped to battle it out for the $1.2 million Emirates Stakes winners’ cheque.

The United States jumps from barrier 11 with Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy riding the autumn’s Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) for the same connections including co-owner Lloyd Williams.

A seven-year-old Galileo stallion, The United States comes off a fourth when only 1.2 lengths off the winner Le Romain in last Saturday’s Group 1 Cantala Stakes (1600m) at the track and has strong form over the extra distance of the Emirates Stakes.

Vadamos is a French raider prepared by Andre Fabre, the Monsun stallion a graduate of the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) run over the same meters and under the same conditions as the new-look Emirates Stakes.

He was fourth past the post behind Winx who enjoyed a record winning margin of eight lengths, and second-up should be improving with the race’s five-time winning hoop Damien Oliver coming aboard.

So will the two best in Emirates Stakes betting battle it out for the win or does the 2016 Emirates Stakes Form Guide, betting history and statistics reveal value further down the markets?

2016 Emirates Stakes Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Emirates (Mackinnon) Stakes winner was the French raider Gailo Chop (2015) coming off a Cox Plate eighth and jumping from barrier 4 (of 13) with Ben Melham aboard the $8 shot
• This year #5 Vadamos ($4.60) is looking to go back-to-back for the internationals, the fellow French-trained galloper also a Cox Plate graduate (4^th)
• The Cox Plate has six of the past seven Emirates / Mackinnon Stakes winners including So You Think (2010) who completed the double
• Along with #5 Vadamos the other Cox Plate runners backing-up in the race this weekend are: Awesome Rock (5^th), Happy Clapper (6^th), Hauraki (8^th) and Happy Trails (10^th)

• Since 2003 just one last start winner has taken out the Emirates / Mackinnon Stakes: So You Think (2010)
• The last start winners out to break the hoodoo this year are: #10 Vanbrugh (Group 3 Coongy Handicap, 2000m, Caulfield, 15/10/2016) and #12 Good Standing (Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes, 2000m, Caulfield, 15/10/2016)
• #12 Good Standing ($12) is out to be the first Norman Robinson – Emirates (Mackinnon) Stakes double winner without a run in between since Casual Pass (2003)
• The Caulfield Cup has produced two of the past eight winners; backing up out of the Caulfield Cup this year is the UK raider Scottish (2^nd)
• The previous Emirates / Mackinnon Stakes winning trainers with a runner this year are: Paul Beshara (2-1-0-0) with #1 Happy Trails ($61); Michael Moroney (5-1-1-0) with #11 Tivaci ($41); and David Hayes (16-1-5-0) with #13 Seaburge ($15)
• Last year’s winning jockey Ben Melham shoots for back-to-back victories aboard #10 Vanbrugh ($19)
• Damien Oliver was the last back-to-back winning hoop in the race on Paris Lane (1994) and Danewin (1995)
• Damien Oliver (18-5-1-2) has ridden a total of five Emirates / Mackinnon Stakes winners and shoots for his sixth on Saturday aboard #5 Vadamos

• The other previous Emirates / Mackinnon Stakes winning jockey with a ride on the weekend is Craig Williams (6-1-1-0) on #8 Endless Drama ($13)
• Last year’s winning barrier (4) has produced six Mackinnon Stakes winners (since 1983) making it the most successful in that time and belongs this year to #8 Endless Drama
• The other most successful barriers in that time producing four winners each are 2, 3 and 5 drawn this year by: #13 Seabruge (2), #12 Good Standing (3) and #9 Palentino (5)
• Only one three-year-old has won the race (since 1983) and this year #12 Good Standing and #13 Seaburge are out to be the first since Casual Pass (2003)
• No nine-year-old has won in that time and #11 Happy Tails is out to be the first this weekend
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #5 Vadamos (42%) followed by #3 The United States (35%)
• The highest Place Rate of the field belongs to #7 Scottish (83%) followed by #8 Endless Drama (75%)

• The horses with the best record over the distance (2000m) are: #7 Scottish (4-3-0-1); #1 Happy Trails (20-2-3-2); #3 The United States (5-2-2-0); #10 Vanbrugh (3-2-0-0) and #2 Hauraki (6-1-3-0)
• The horses with the best record at the track (Flemington) are: #9 Palentino (5-3-1-0); #1 Happy Trails (15-3-0-2); #6 Awesome Rock (5-1-2-0) and #11 Tivaci (6-1-2-1)

Stay tuned for our insider 2016 Emirates Stakes tips to be published shortly.

In the meantime check out the full race form guide below and check out the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).