The Eye Liner Stakes 2017 is one of three Queensland black-type races taking place on Ipswich Cup Day at Bundamba this weekend, betting tips and the latest odds on the sprint showdown detailed below.

Flamboyer shapes-up as a big value place chance in Saturday’s 2017 Eye Liner Stakes betting markets at Ipswich. Photo: Daniel Costello.

Set to run as the penultimate race on the nine-event card, this year’s $175,000 Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) is shaping up as a close battle between some of the winter’s more consistent gallopers.

Current favourite in Eye Liner Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au at $5 is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained three-year-old Acatour ($5).

The Sebring colt, who was originally considered for a Doncaster Mile bid in Sydney over the autumn, hasn’t raced since a failed eighth in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick in mid-April.

He’s been freshened-up since, will be better suited to 1350m and is well-weighted getting in on the 54kg minimum.

If the colt doesn’t fire on the Heavy Ipswich track against the older sprinters the bookies have Toby Edmonds’ Moreton Cup fourth placegetter The Virginian ($6) and the Matthew Dunn-trained third placegetter in that same Group 2 sprint at Doomben on June 3 Perfect Dare ($7.50) as the next best in betting.

So will the top fancies salute or is there value to be had further down the Eye Liner Stakes odds this winter from the likes of Shiraz ($8.50) giving the weight away, market mover Yesterday’s Songs ($8.50), Cantbuybetter ($8.50) chasing a third win from his past four starts or even Flamboyer ($34) who has a nasty draw to overcome but plenty of form at the track?

1^st

#6 The Virginian ($6)

Of the top fancies, really like the lead-up form of this Gold Coast-trained four-year-old son of Hinchinbrook. He is third-up on the weekend and likely to be hitting peak form after a first-up black-type Doomben win in May and then the brave fourth in the Moreton Cup a fortnight back. This is an easier class of rivals, but the distance will be the test. He’s only won up to 1200m, but he has saluted on a Heavy (9) so the wet plus the good draw (2) has him in the mix.

2^nd

#5 Flamboyer ($34)

Way overs is Flamboyer who jumps from the second widest gate, but still shapes-up as a genuine place chance for big value. The Kelly Doughty-trained six-year-old is out to atone for a first-up 11^th over 1200m at Doomben last weekend. He was just over three lengths beaten, will be better over 1350m second-up and comes back from 58.5kg to 57kg for this. Proven mudlark (4-1-1-2) so the wet track suits and he’s undefeated at Ipswich (2-2-0-0).

3^rd

#10 Perfect Dare ($7.50)

If the Moreton Cup form is the one to follow then this horse is another to get behind. Gets the run of the race this weekend from gate four and has Jim Byrne coming aboard the four-year-old son of Fastnet Rock. Will be fitter for his first-up run at Doomben a fortnight ago and has previous winning form at Ipswich. Magic Millions Cup second over 1400m at the Gold Coast in mid-January as a $26 roughie showed his ability. Ticking plenty of boxes.

Lock in our insider Eye Liner Stakes 2017 tips online at the right price now through Ladbrokes.com.au, home of the winter’s best racing odds and offers.