The top three fancies in futures 2017 Australian Guineas betting for next month all face off at Flemington Racecourse with Saturday’s CS Hayes Stakes serving as a prelude for the punters.

The $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas

Favourite in 2017 Australian Guineas betting Seaburge leads the CS Hayes Stakes field at Flemington this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

(1600m) is scheduled for March 4 and the past two winners of the mile feature came out of a CS Hayes Stakes run with Wandjina (2015) completing the double and Palentino (2^nd in 2016).

On Saturday Flemington is host to Black Caviar Lightning Day including the $150,000 Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) scheduled as Race 6 at 3:25pm (AEDDT).

A full field of 16 hopeful three-year-old colts and geldings face off in this year’s CS Hayes Stakes including the Lindsay Park-trained Seaburge.

Seaburge leads all-in Australian Guineas odds at $10 through Ladbrokes.com.au and is the current $4.60 second elect in early CS Hayes Stakes betting for the weekend.

Mark Zahra has the ride from the wide barrier 11 draw first-up on the son of Sebring who was last seen running a brave second against the older gallopers at weight-for-age behind Awesome Rock in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m) on November 5.

Runner-up also in the Caulfield Guineas during the spring, Seaburge chases first win since the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) from last March over the same track and distance he resumes in on Saturday.

Lindsay Park has also accepted for another Snitzel colt, Snitzon, who like Seaburge has a double-digit barrier (14) to overcome with Damien Oliver aboard the roughie hope.

Equal on $11 as the second favourites in pre-field Australian Guineas odds are Morton’s Fork and Hey Doc who are the other two to beat in the CS Hayes Stakes.

Hey Doc is an early CS Hayes Stakes market firmer ($4.50 into $4) and leads betting on the Group 3 after coming up trumps with barrier four.

Luke Currie continues his association on the Tony McEvoy-trained Duporth gelding who is second-up after the close third in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 4.

Hey Doc was last seen in the winners’ stall in September taking out the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley before his third to Divine Prophet in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).

Representing the Godolphin stable, the John O’Shea-trained Morton’s Fork is also a Manfred Stakes graduate having run three lengths away fifth in the race.

That was the Ad Valorem colt’s first run since a narrow Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) victory in November and Morton’s Fork pays $5 to win the CS Hayes Stakes with Craig Williams booked for the ride.

Rounding out the single-figure CS Hayes Stakes fancies at $9.50 is the Ciaron Maher-trained So You Think colt Kaching in barrier seven.

Other notable hopes include the rails-drawn Wazzenme ($12) to be ridden by Dwayne Dunn and Inglis Dash third placegetter on January 28 Land Of Plenty ($10).

Check out the full CS Hayes Stakes 2017 field, barriers, jockeys and Fixed Win odds below – prices provided by Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 CS Hayes Stakes Field, Barriers & Odds