Blue Diamond Stakes winner Tagaloa will return to the scene of his biggest career win when kicking off a Caulfield Guineas – Cox Plate campaign in Saturday’s HDF McNeil Stakes 2020.

Blue Diamond winner Tagaloa returns in Saturday’s 2020 HDF McNeil Stakes. Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Lord Kanaloa colt is the headline acceptor in the Group 3 $160,000 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield this weekend, Tagaloa drawn barrier eight with his regular hoop Michael Walker to ride.

The race originally drew 16 starters but Busuttin & Young opted to scratch Albarado (12) but are still dually represented by the favourite along with Brazen Beau colt Larimer Street who returned with a first-up fifth at the track in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) a fortnight back.

At set weights plus penalties, Tagaloa carries the 59.5kg top weight as a Group 1 winner but is being kept safe in HDF McNeil Stakes betting at $3.70 and firming through Ladbrokes.com.au.

In February he took out the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at a roughie’s price before heading to Sydney for two further starts in his juvenile campaign.

At Randwick he ran second to Farnan in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) before a fourth behind that same horse in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill last time out.

Tagaloa should appreciate returning to Caulfield and, from the barrier with the blinkers going on the first time, should settle just off the speed before finishing strongly on way to tougher Group 1 targets over further this spring.

Three other runners are currently at single-figures in the HDF McNeil Stakes odds including the $7 second elect Immortal Love drawn a treat in barrier four for jockey Craig Newitt.

The undefeated Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained Snitzel gelding is two-from-two to date and faces a notable class rise in the Group 3 event.

His last start on May 23 produced an eye-catching 3.5 length victory over 1400m at Flemington on a Heavy (8) carrying 58kg and he should be flying first-up coming back in weight at Caulfield.

The stable is also represented by the widely-drawn duo of Our Playboy coming into barrier 14 with Ben Melham booked for the ride aboard the in-form son of Sebring and Snitzel colt National Choice ($12) drawn one closer to the rails.

Our Playboy took his record up to three wins from five starts first-up at the track on August 15 when, after having secured back-to-back 1000m wins in easier grade back in April, he took out the Vain Stakes at double-figures.

He presents fit second-up in the HDF McNeil Stakes, but has work to do from the wide draw going up in weight.

National Choice meanwhile has Michael Dee aboard for his first-up run of the new season, the up-and-comer racing in Black-Type company for the first time following a winning debut at Geelong in April and a last start third at Caulfield on May 9 carrying a hefty 60.5kg

Rounding out the hopes under $10 to upset the class horse in the race Tagaloa is the consistent Danny O’Brien-trained Flying Award.

The Shamus Award colt was last seen breaking his maiden status at career start number three at Flemington taking out the Listed ANZAC Day Stakes (1400m).

Click here for the latest H.D.F. McNeil Stakes 2020 betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes Field

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	31x4124x	TAGALOA	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Michael Walker	8	59.5kg		102
2	1x0x1	HARD LANDING	Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes	Craig Williams	11	58.5kg		80
3	6x611x1	OUR PLAYBOY	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Ben Melham	15	58.5kg		82
4	2x271x8	EXTRA TIME	Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas	Jamie Kah	13	58.5kg		72
5	23210×5	LARIMER STREET	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Michael Rodd	5	58kg		79
6	7216370x	RATHLIN	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Jye McNeil	3	58kg		73
7	221x	FLYING AWARD	Danny O’Brien	Damien Oliver	6	58kg		72
8	9112x	KHOEKHOE	Matt Cumani	Fred W Kersley	7	57kg		72
9	11x	CROSSHAVEN	Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes	Daniel Stackhouse	2	57kg		69
10	11x	IMMORTAL LOVE	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Craig Newitt	4	57kg		70
11	23×2	RANTING (NZ)	Leon & Troy Corstens	Dwayne Dunn	10	57kg		70
12	12x	ALBARADO (NZ)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Jordan Childs	12	57kg		65
13	6314x	THE LAST CHARGE	Kevin Corstens	Beau Mertens	9	57kg		65
14	13x	NATIONAL CHOICE	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Michael Dee	14	57kg		64
15	1×4	BRANDERS RULE	Peter G Moody	Luke Nolen	16	57kg		64
16	1	LOCA	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Damian Lane	1	57kg		63

*Table Credit: Racing Australia.