The bookmakers are having a hard time separating the top chances in Saturday’s Crystal Mile 2017 field and odds on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day with over half the line-up under $10 for the win.

Sydney’s Doncaster Mile winner It’s Somewhat is the early 2017 Crystal Mile market mover for the Cox Plate Day race this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.

Scheduled as Moonee Valley Race 8 at 4:10pm (AEDT), one race before Winx lines-up in the 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate field, this season’s Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m) features 10 hopeful milers.

Six of those are at single-figures in the latest Crystal Mile odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au for the race that is a key lead-up to the Group 1 $1 million Kennedy Mile (1600m) Saturday week on Victoria Derby Day.

Currently there are three $5 equal favourites heading the Crystal Mile betting markets including early market mover It’s Somewhat drawn the rails.

Kerrin McEvoy rides the James Cummings-trained Godolphin galloper who has his first look at The Valley.

Winner of the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) in the mud in Sydney back in April, the now seven-year-old son of Dynaformer is out to improve on a lead-up 10^th behind Santa Ana Lane in Caulfield’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).

The step-up to a mile will suit better second-up as the gelding gains race fitness and any rain around also helps the proven wet-track performer’s chances of returning to winning form.

Also at $5 for the win are the Darren Weir-trained Burning Front and the Chris Waller-trained Religify both coming off lead-up seconds.

Mark Zahra rides Primus seven-year-old Burning Front who is a Valley track specialists boasting three wins and a second from five previous runs at the tight circuit.

Last Saturday on Caulfield Cup Day the gelding finished runner-up to Ulmann in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) and on the quick back-up he is a livewire chance stepping up to his pet distance (14:7-2-2).

Hugh Bowman gets his final warm-up before chasing three straight Cox Plate wins on Winx riding yet another seven-year-old Crystal Mile hopeful Religify.

He was the regular rider of the son of Choisir over the winter including guiding him to victory under a hefty 60.5kg in a black-type mile race at Doomben in late June.

First-up Religify had Dwayne Dunn aboard on that same big weight in the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 14 when a brave second just nudged out of the win by Fast ‘n’ Rocking.

Dropping back to 59kg at weight-for-age, Religify gets his chance on Saturday boasting the strong 1600m strike rate (7: 4-1-0) and the gun gate three barrier.

The next best in the markets are Sound Proposition ($6.40) and Lucky Hussler ($7) drawn in gates four and six respectively.

The Kris Lees-trained Savabeel six-year-old Sound Proposition debuts at Moonee Valley coming off a string of good Sydney runs including the fifth to Happy Clapper in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m).

Corey Brown retains the ride on the strong miler who has won five of his 10 runs over the distance and who will appreciate the drop back in grade on the weekend.

Lucky Hussler is the other Weir-trained runner looking to bounce back after two poor efforts when 13^th in the Sir Rupert Clarke and 11^th in the Weekend Hussler.

He carted 61.5kg last start however and coming back to WFA will be improving.

Check out the full Crystal Mile 2017 field, barriers and latest odds on the race below with betting open now at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 Crystal Mile Field, Barriers & Odds