Godolphin’s multiple Group 1 winner Avilius has opened post-acceptance favourite in 2020 Chelmsford Stakes betting to kick off his spring with a win despite drawing the outside alley.

Avilius jumps favourite first-up in the 2020 Chelsmford Stakes this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.

This season’s Group 2 $250,000 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) field features a capacity line-up of 16 hopefuls and gate 16 is where the James Cummings-trained favourite will start from.

Kerrin McEvoy chases his first win in the weight-for-age event partnering the Pivotal seven-year-old with Avilius looking to add to his strong record at the Randwick track (6:3-1-0) that includes his Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) victory by 2.3 lengths last September.

The classy galloper races for the first time since his back-to-back Group 1 thirds at Rosehill in the Ranvet (2000m) and Tancred Stakes (2400m) over the autumn.

First-up the mile looks to suit, the horse looking to improve on his second to Samadoubt in the Chelmsford Stakes results last year.

Avilius was scratched form a first-up run in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) due to the state of the track, an event he ran fourth when resuming last spring, but looks fit and ready to fire on the weekend.

Current Chelmsford Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Avilius at $4.60 with the Hawkes Racing-trained Angel Of Truth ($4.80) hot on his heels.

Tommy Berry retains the ride on the five-year-old second-up having ridden him for a close first-up second to Man Of Peace at the track over 1400m on August 15 when the course was rated a Heavy (10).

Sure to improve off that and relish the step-up in distance, Angel Of Truth is out to break a notable winning drought not having saluted since his ATC Derby success in April last year.

A further two runners are also under double-figures for the win in Chelmsford Stakes betting this year with the also Hawkes-trained Zebrowski ($6.50) and the Chris Waller-trained Mister Sea Wolf ($8).

Zebrowski could be the improver in the mix, the Savabeel four-year-old having run a luckless eighth first-up when mid-field behind Verry Elleegant in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) on August 22.

He went around at big odds there and will be fitter second-up getting out over a mile.

While yet to win over further than 1550m, the honest staying type was runner-up behind Quick Thinker in both the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) and Group 1 ATC Derby (2400m) last prep so has plenty of potential this campaign.

Waller has dominated this race in recent history preparing five of the past eight Chelmsford Stakes winners including Winx (2017) and Unforgotten (2018).

The master horseman saddles-up more than half the runners in the Chelmsford Stakes field this weekend with his nine runners led in betting by Mister Sea Wolf in barrier five.

The veteran nine-year-old has his 50^th career start on Saturday and has only once finished in the money from seven previous Randwick runs.

Still, he is being kept at a conservative price having won the $1 million The Gong over the mile at Kembla Grange last November and he was eye-catching when fifth in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill a month ago.

Click here for the latest Chelmsford Stakes 2020 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Chelmsford Stakes Field

Table Credit: Racing Australia.