2017 Manfred Stakes Field & Odds Led By Australian Guineas Entries

This weekend in Melbourne at Caulfield Racecourse a line-up of Australian Guineas 2017 bound three-year-olds will take to the track in the Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes field.

Morton’s Fork is one of the top hopes in 2017 Australian Guineas betting running first-up in the Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes this Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

An early Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival lead-up, this year’s $150,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes (1200m) is due to jump as Caulfield Race 7 at 4:05pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

A final field of 12 young sprinters are in the mix including a number of livewire entries for Flemington’s $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) held over a mile on March 4.

The current Manfred Stakes odds at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au are a tight battle between three top fancies narrowly led by Derryn ($4.80) in barrier three.

Regan Bayliss rides the returning Lindsay Park-trained Hinchinbrook colt whose last run was a seventh of eight runners behind Flying Artie in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight on Derby Day.

Derryn currently pays $34 in futures Australian Guineas odds, but will be looking to firm in those Group 1 autumn racing markets with a first-up win to take his record to two victories from seven starts.

The other best in Manfred Stakes betting at $5 each are Morton’s Fork and Hey Doc jumping from gates one and seven respectively.

John O’Shea trains the Godolphin-raced Morton’s Fork who gets the run of the race at Caulfield from the inside alley with champion hoop Craig Williams in the saddle.

Williams rode the Ad Valorem colt for his final two spring runs last time in that produced a second to Comin’ Through in Flemington’s Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) and the narrow Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) victory on November 12.

From two runs at the shorter Manfred Stakes distance Morton’s Fork has two seconds, plus the impressive first-up record (3-1-2-0) is looks a big chance to add to this weekend.

Already well proven over the 1600m, the up-and-comer is also a notable 2017 Australian Guineas hope at $12 in the pre-field odds.

The Tony McEvoy-trained Hey Doc meanwhile looks suited to the set weights plus penalties conditions of the Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes.

Luke Currie partners the consistent son of Duporth whose last run was a fourth in the Carbine Club Stakes.

Prior to that the Group 2 Moonee Valley Stutt Stakes winner was brave in defeat from a wide alley (13 of 14) when beaten under a length third behind Divine Prophet in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).

Hey Doc is also rated $13 to win the Australian Guineas later in the autumn, a first-up win in the Manfred Stakes to further firm that outright price.

Outside the dominant trio the other Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes fancy at a single-figure quote is Into Orbit ($7) drawn out in gate 10 with Dwayne Dunn to ride.

Hawkes Racing prepare the undefeated Northern Meteor colt who has won both of his career starts to date in non-black type company including a 1000m effort at Sandown-Hillside first-up on January 18.

In that Benchmark 64 for three-year-olds Into Orbit carted a hefty 59.5kg to victory as the odds-on favourite and could prove the value for his Group 3 test on Saturday dropping back to 56kg.

Check out the full Ladbrokes Manfred Stakes 2017 field, barriers, jockeys and current Fixed Win odds from Ladbrokes.com.au below.