Progressive Japanese import from last year’s winning trainer Darren Weir, Brave Smash is early favourite among the Futurity Stakes 2018 nominations for the weight-for-age clash this weekend.

CF Orr placegetter Brave Smash for last year’s winning trainer Darren Weir heads the 2018 Futurity Stakes nominations for Caulfield on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Caulfield Racecourse is host to a triple-shot of elite level racing on Saturday for Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Day including the Group 1 $500,000 Futurity Stakes (1400m).

Early Futurity Stakes nominations attracted 14 gallopers with Racing Victoria extending entries until 10am (AEDT) on Tuesday morning.

Last Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival Victoria’s premier trainer Weir took out the Futurity Stakes with Black Heart Bart who came off a lead-up win in the Group 1 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at the same track / distance a fortnight earlier.

This season Weir returns chasing successive Futurity Stakes wins by a trainer for the first time since David Hayes with Niconero (2008-09) nominating three horses from his stable.

Two are former Japanese-trained galloper with Tosen Stardom and Brave Smash, the latter leading pre-field Futurity Stakes odds at bookies around the country.

Five-year-old Brave Smash comes off an eye-catching third when only a neck beaten in the CF Orr Stakes and is tipped to improve third-up on the weekend.

Seven-year-old stablemate Tosen Stardom is also being kept safe in futures Futurity Stakes betting despite the Emirates Stakes winner’s disappointing first-up 11^th in the CF Orr Stakes behind the winner Hartnell.

Weir’s third nominee is Teofilo gelding Humidor who hasn’t raced since a 19^th in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) last November.

Chasing his maiden Caulfield win at his seventh start at the track, Humidor’s last victory was over Hartnell in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington by over three lengths last September.

He went on to run in the money twice to Winx over his spring campaign when third in the Turnbull Stakes and second to the world’s best mare in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.

All Too Hard (2013) is the only three-year-old Futurity Stakes winner since 2004, but this season there are four youngsters nominated for a shot at the older gallopers.

Last start Kevin Hayes Stakes winning filly Booker is in the mix but could run over less distance in the Oakleigh Plate on the card instead.

Hawkes Racing have nominated Snitzel colt Showtime who comes off a lead-up second to Trapeze Artist in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) in Sydney at the start of the month, while Chris Waller has his untapped Harbour Watch colt Paret entered.

The last three-year-old Futurity Stakes nominee is the Mick Price-trained Mighty Boss, winner of the Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in the spring before a resuming CF Orr Stakes seventh.

Other standout Futurity Stakes nominees include Waller’s Kennedy Mile winning mare Shillelagh out to atone for her 10^th in the CF Orr when only two and a quarter lengths beaten and the Anthony Freedman-trained four-year-old Mr Sneaky.

Check out the full Futurity Stakes 2018 nominations below, the official field and markets at Ladbrokes.com.au set for release on Wednesday.

2018 Futurity Stakes Nominations

Caulfield Racecourse – 25/02/2018