Current Caulfield Cup favourite Bonneval is the headline Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes 2017 nomination for the staying showdown on Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Day this weekend.

Caulfield Cup favourite Bonneval leads the 2017 Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes nominations for this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained daughter of Makfi is in flying form and is one of 20 early entries taken for this year’s Group 1 $1 million Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes (2000m).

Last spring the mighty Winx beat home just two horses in her Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes success, but the field is sure to be closer to the 16 starter capacity in 2017.

Four-year-old Bonneval has won her latest six starts including completing the autumn’s NZ Oaks – ATC Oaks cross-Tasman double.

This time in in Melbourne she has enjoyed back-to-back victories most recently a one length success over Hartnell in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m).

The Underwood Stakes has been a good Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes form race to follow in recent years producing a number of winners including Ocean Park (2012) who did the double.

Before Winx the other latest Caulfield Stakes winning mare was Atlantic Jewel (2013) who improved on a lead-up second in the Underwood Stakes.

The Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes odds at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au are sure to be short on Bonneval to be the next should she accept for the race on way to the Group 1 $3 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) back at the track over the mile and a half on October 21.

Bonneval also leads futures Caulfield Cup odds at $4.80, a price sure to firm should she enjoy another lead-up Group 1 win on Saturday.

The Godolphin-raced Hartnell gets the chance to turn the tables on Bonneval on Saturday as the other key Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes entry.

The seven-year-old finished runner-up to Humidor in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) before the Underwood Stakes second and is out to return to winning form.

How he performs on Saturday will help the stable decide whether to step him up in distance for the Caulfield Cup or give him another go at Winx in the Cox Plate after he was thrashed eight lengths by her in the classic last spring.

There are also a number of international raiders nominated for this year’s Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes including the Aidan O’Brien-trained Taj Mahal and stablemate Johannes Vermeer.

Charlie Appleby has British visitor Folkswood nominated for the race as well as the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) over the mile at the same meeting, as does Ireland’s William Mullins with Riven Light.

Other dual Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes – Toorak Handicap nominees include reigning champion of the latter He’s Our Rokkii and the Robbie Laing-trained So Si Bon who was last seen running third in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at the track on October 1.

The Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes nominations also feature the likes of the Darren Weir-trained Underwood Stakes third placegetter Gailo Chop and the reigning ATC Derby winner Jon Snow coming off a Group 3 win at Moonee Valley.

See below for the full Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes 2017 nominations, the final field and updated betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au for which are due out on Wednesday.

2017 Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes Nominations

Caulfield Racecourse – 14/10/2017