2017 Victoria Derby Day kicks off the four-meeting Melbourne Cup Carnival today as the countdown to the Melbourne Cup field release reaches peak and below are the Races.com.au team’s exclusive tips across the card.

Viridine is the Races.com.au tip to win today’s Coolmore Stud Stakes 2017 on Derby Day at Flemington. Photo: Steve Hart.

A day for racing purists, it is an all-Group race program at Flemington Racecourse for VRC Derby Day with the first at 11:45am (AEDT) and the card closer at 5:20pm (AEDT).

The fans at Headquarters have a partly cloudy day forecast, but it is perfect spring racing conditions with the current Good (3) Flemington track rating.

Plenty of the Derby Day betting is wide open including in the four Group 1 races led by Flemington Race 7 – the Group 1 $1.5 million Victoria Derby (2500m).

The 2017 Victoria Derby Day field of 16 get a chance to prove their staying potential including the $6.50 favourite through Ladbrokes.com.au Ace High coming off the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) win in Sydney.

The major Victoria Derby Day support acts are the three other Group 1s as well as Race 4 – the Group 3 $300,000 Lexus Stakes (2500m) offering the winner a ballot free ride into Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup field.

See below for our complete Victoria Derby Day racing tips and exotics for you to get behind at Ladbrokes.com.au who are also offering the best all-in Melbourne Cup 2017 odds ahead of the official field & barrier release this afternoon.

Race 1 (11:45am) – Group 3 $200,000 The Carbine Club Stakes (1600m)

• 1^st: #1 Snitzepeg
• 2^nd: #7 Levendi
• 3^rd: #5 Sambro

Plenty of livewire chances in the first, but leaning towards the form and fitness of SNITZEPEG ($7.50) who comes off back-to-back Melbourne wins over 1400m in October. Darren Weir’s colt is progressive and gets the chance to extend to a mile here, just needs to run out the distance. LEVENDI ($3.50) is the firming favourite and presents as a genuine danger coming down in grade after the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas sixth over this distance, the Pierro colt having form around Royal Symphony. SAMBRO ($11) racing consistently for Chris Waller with successive thirds with big weight over the Randwick mile.

Race 2 (12:20pm) – Group 2 $300,000 G.H. Mumm Wakeful Stakes (2000m)

• 1^st: #6 Rimraam
• 2^nd: #1 Bring Me Roses
• 3^rd: #3 Glam Guru

Going the upset with RIMRAAM ($9) at excellent odds. The Lindsay Park-trained Commands filly has yet to finish out of the top two in her six career starts and stepped-up in grade at a big price for second to Oaks-bound Pinot in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) last time out. Still value and that filly out of the race. BRING ME ROSES ($4) is the favourite and could just come out and win after the impressive 2.25 length win at a mile here in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) last start. GLAM GURU ($21) genuine place chance on the quick back-up after running fourth to BANISH in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (1600m) last Saturday, can improve.

Race 3 (1:00pm) – Group 3 $200,000 Skip Sprint (1100m)

• 1^st: #1 Sheidel
• 2^nd: #3 Zestful
• 3^rd: #12 Crystal Fountain

Really hard to go past the class of SHEIDEL ($5.50) who remains at a backable price despite holding favouritism. Equal top weight (59kg) but has the inside run from barrier one and she’ll likely be up front setting a strong pace. Moir Stakes placed two back before the Schillaci Stakes fifth when only 1.2 lengths beaten, can improve and win this race for the second time. ZESTFUL ($8.50) drawn in gate two with Kerrin McEvoy on the short-distance specialist who was runner-up at Randwick in a 1200m Group 3 last start and will be better over shorter here. CRYSTAL FOUNTAIN ($11) on the up-and-up, yet to run a bad race (5:4-0-1) and black-type third on Geelong Cup Day was a blanket finish.

Race 4 (1:40pm) – Group 3 $300,000 Lexus Stakes (2500m)

• 1^st: #4 Aloft
• 2^nd: #10 Kellstorm
• 3^rd: #6 Vengeur Masque

Giving ALOFT ($5.50) the forgive card after the Herbert Power flop and tipping the dour stayer to return to his best and add to Lloyd Williams’ Melbourne Cup contingent in 2017. KELLSTORM ($6.50) out to improve on the Geelong Cup sixth, under two lengths beaten and was third in The Bart Cummings at Flemington before that. Geelong Cup winner VENGEUR MASQUE ($7) wouldn’t need to do much more to win again.

Read our comprehensive 2017 Lexus Stakes Tips & Betting Preview.

Race 5 (2:25pm) – Group 1 $1,000,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m)

• 1^st: #5 Viridine
• 2^nd: #11 Lone Eagle
• 3^rd: #10 Eptimum

No standout and so many winning hopes, but the price on VIRIDINE ($8.50) is excellent considering the James Cummings-trained youngster is undefeated and drawn the rails. Yet to race in Melbourne, so needs to prove his ability this way down the straight, but the two length romp in the Roman Consul last time out suggests he’s got the class. LONE EAGLE ($31) blowout place chance of the day for last year’s winning trainer Mick Price. EPTIMUM ($9.50) flying chasing a fourth on the trot after the big The Valley win, has the speed and is a danger.

Read our full 2017 Coolmore Stud Stakes Betting Tips & Update.

Race 6 (3:05pm) – Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m)

• 1^st: #2 Global Glamour
• 2^nd: #10 Prompt Response
• 3^rd: #16 Shoals

Happy to stick with the now second elect GLOBAL GLAMOUR ($5.50) to continue her winning ways after the first-up win as a four-year-old in the Tristarc Stakes. Dual Group 1 winner at a mile so should be better at 1600m second-up from barrier three where she’ll be box seating. PROMPT RESPONSE ($16) is the longer-priced stablemate who was only a neck away third over the Caulfield mile in the Ladies Day Vase with 58kg last time out, Group 1 placed and big place chance again here even from out wide. SHOALS ($4.80) is the firming favourite, the only filly in the race so flies with 50kg and the Thousand Guineas second form has been franked. Genuine chance over the older mares.

Read our complete 2017 Myer Classic Tips & Betting Preview.

Race 7 (3:50pm) – Group 1 $1,500,000 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m)

• 1^st: #3 Astoria
• 2^nd: #2 Tangled
• 3^rd: #11 Ocean’s Fourteen

ASTORIA ($8) continues to firm in VRC Derby betting backed right in from $15. James Cummings is out to go back-to-back in the race and from barrier one this progressive colt has claims. Spring Champion fifth two back to Saturday’s favourite ACE HIGH was luckless from a wide run, better in the Geelong Classic just a length back third giving away weight and the track bias. TANGLED ($7.50) hard to leave out after seconds in the Spring Champion and Ladbrokes Classic, while OCEAN’S FOURTEEN ($12) has the right breeding and was excellent late running through the line when second in the Geelong Classic.

Read our insider 2017 Victoria Derby Betting Tips & Preview.

Race 8 (4:35pm) – Group 1 $1,000,000 Kennedy Mile (1600m)

• 1^st: #6 Egg Tart
• 2^nd: #10 Sovereign Nation
• 3^rd: #5 Tom Melbourne

EGG TART ($7.50) one of many winning hopes, out to win for the first time this preparation and improve on the close seventh in the Toorak Handicap. On just 52kg here, proven at Flemington with a victory at the track / distance in the autumn before winning the Schweppes Oaks – Queensland Oaks double. Can return to winning form on the lightweight. SOVEREIGN NATION ($9) also decent value from barrier three with 52kg after the brave second in the Toorak from gate 17 of 18 at Caulfield. Also proven here and can finish in the money. TOM MELBOURNE ($5.50) early market mover, Waller-trained, well-weighted (53.5kg) and super honest.

Race 9 (5:20pm) – Group 2 $300,000 TAB Multiplier Stakes (1200m)

• 1^st: #8 Bons Away
• 2^nd: #1 Illustrious Lad
• 3^rd: #7 Missrock

BONS AWAY ($10) at double-figures is attractive, won a host of sprints on the trot including in black-type class two back defeating subsequent The Everest placed Brave Smash. Fourth here in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes on October 7 was brave, under a length beaten and gets the chance to improve down in weight. ILLUSTRIOUS LAD ($6.50) carries top kilos but deservingly so, had less on to win in 2016 but is classy and Group 1 performed, second in the Schillaci Stakes (1100m) last start and will be better up to his pet distance (12:4-2-0) dropping a half-kilo. MISSROCK ($14) has the outside alley, but she’s speedy and is never far away and has finished ahead of a number of these before.

*All times quoted are AEDT and subject to change