The 2017 Fred Best Classic closes the card at Eagle Farm Racecourse this Saturday in Brisbane and with the scratching of the Hong Kong-bound Good Standing, our insider betting tips and updated odds on the three-years-old clash are detailed below.

Running as Race 8 on Kingsford-Smith Cup Day, this year’s $150,000 Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m) has had five early scratchings from the original line-up meaning all of the emergencies are guaranteed a run.

The most notable of the omissions is the James Cummings-trained Good Standing who was sitting top of the Fred Best Classic odds at the time of his scratching.

On Thursday night the horse was sold to bloodstock agent George Moore and will now be prepared in Hong Kong by his father John Moore with the Hong Kong Derby on the cards.

Updated Fred Best Classic betting is now led by the New Zealander Heroic Valour ($4.80) who comes off a second to Savanna Amour in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) in his Australian race debut from the start of the month.

So can the Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards-trained Fastnet Rock colt go one better and salute for the punters this weekend or is there value tipping a longer priced fancy such as Godolphin’s Gold Coast Guineas third placegetter Tessera ($6.50) or the flying John Zielke-trained Gunsynd Classic winner Dreams Aplenty ($8.50)?

1^st

#5 Dreams Aplenty ($8.50)

Lead-up form from this Toowoomba-trained gelding has been outstanding and on Saturday he’s at an attractive price to post a fifth win on the trot. Two back he won the Toowoomba Guineas before taking out the Gunsynd at a mile here in late April. The break between runs is ideal according to Zielke and he’s two-from-three at the track. The 1400m is also a non-issue (3-2-1-0) and from the barrier in an open market he could prove hard to beat again.

2^nd

#8 Tessera ($6.50)

Tessera represents Godolphin here and looks a top three chance again after a close third only a quarter-length beaten in the Gold Coast Guineas last time out. Has placed over this distance before and three runs in will be hitting peak form. Proven on Heavy tracks (2-1-1-0) and that could work in his favour on the weekend.

3^rd

#3 Heroic Valour ($4.80)

The money is coming in thick and fast for the Kiwi who is a dual placegetter over this distance back home. Also ran under a length away fourth in the Group 1 NRM Sprint (1400m) behind Saturday’s Kingsford-Smith Cup contender Start Wondering in February before travelling down under and running second in the Gold Coast Guineas. Narrowly beaten, will be fitter for the run and even up in class should be right in the finish again.

Back our Fred Best Classic 2017 tips or your own Eagle Farm race selections online now at the best odds through Ladbrokes.com.au.