Returning Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon is the headline final acceptor for the lucrative Hobartville Stakes 2017 at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday in Sydney.

The richest race on the card, this autumn’s edition of the $400,000 Group 2 Schweppes Hobartville Stakes (1400m) attracted just nine final acceptances and is set to run as Rosehill Race 6 at 3:45pm (AEDT).

Among the early fancies in pre-field Hobartville Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au was the James Cummings-trained Prized Icon who was last seen running away for a 2.5 length Flemington win in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) in Melbourne.

The well-performed son of More Than Ready is also a Group 1 winner at Randwick having won last year’s Champagne Stakes over the mile as a two-year-old.

He also placed a brave third beaten under a length by the filly Yankee Rose in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) last October.

In the Hobartville Stakes field from barrier eight Prized Icon is racing at Rosehill for the first time since his third to Veladero at the track in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) in a blanket finish.

The Hobartville Stakes serves as a gun lead-up to some of the major Sydney Group 1s for three-year-olds including the Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 4, the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on Golden Slipper Day a fortnight later and the $2 million Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) on April 1.

In futures Australian Derby betting Prized Icon leads the way at $11, a price set to firm if he wins the Hobartville Stakes first-up.

The other likely favourite in Hobartville Stakes betting this autumn are the Chris Waller-trained half-brother to Criterion Comin’ Through and the aforementioned Gloaming Stakes winner Veladero.

Comin’ Through had lots of hype on his resuming run on February 4 after his Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) win at Flemington over the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The well-bred son of Fastnet Rock ran first-up at Randwick in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) and was far from disgraced crossing just over a length away fifth to the winner Man From Uncle – also accepted for the rematch in the Hobartville on Saturday.

He is tipped to improve notably stretching out of the increased distance of the Hobartville Stakes and currently occupies the third line of early ATC Derby odds at $15.

The fellow Waller-trained Veladero is drawn the rails in the Hobartville Stakes barriers on the weekend with Tim Clark booked for the ride on the son of Medaglia D’Oro.

Fourth in the Spring champion Stakes on the back of his Gloaming Stakes success, Veladero is second-up on Saturday having run fourth under a hefty 60kg over 1400m at Randwick on February 4.

He will relish the drop back to 56.5kg at set weights in the Hobartville and will be fitter for his resuming run.

Another standout in the Group 2 is well-bred So You Think colt Inference who returns to racing and is undefeated over the distance (2-2-0-0).

Prepared locally by Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Inference was last seen crossing third to Prized Icon in the Victoria Derby and races in Sydney for the first time on the back of two NSW trials to get him used to the other way of racing.

Check out the full Hobartville Stakes 2017 field, barriers and jockeys below before heading to our No. 1 recommended bookmaker Ladbrokes.com.au for the best odds on your favourite three-year-olds this weekend and in the upcoming Group 1 autumn races.

2017 Hobartville Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Rosehill Race 6 (3:45pm) – 18/02/2017

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Br.	Weight	Hcp. Rating
1	11x463351x	PRIZED ICON	James Cummings	Glyn Schofield	8	56.5kg	108
2	21x11433x	INFERENCE	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Tommy Berry	6	56.5kg	85
3	34x11144x4	VELADERO	Chris Waller	Tim Clark	1	56.5kg	84
4	121×5	COMIN’ THROUGH	Chris Waller	Michael Walker	4	56.5kg	81
5	123×1	MAN FROM UNCLE	Anthony Cummings	Jason Collett	7	56.5kg	80
6	13x1135x	ACATOUR	Peter & Paul Snowden	TBA	2	56.5kg	76
7	1117×23	ECHO EFFECT	Kristen Buchanan	Paul King	5	56.5kg	70
8	21×17	BRYNEICH	John O’Shea	Brenton Avdulla	3	56.5kg	70
9	0124×56	ON THE SPOT	Clarry Conners	Tye Angland	9	56.5kg	67