The premier sprinter getting around in Perth at the moment is Elite Street and on Saturday the gun gelding jumps favourite in the 2021 Winterbottom Stakes looking to defend his title in the weight-for-age feature.

Jockey Brad Rawiller rides favourite Elite Street in Saturday’s 2021 Winterbottom Stakes. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

A capacity field of short-distance specialists faces off in this year’s Group 1 $1 million Crown-Perth Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot.

It is Dan Morton’s reigning champion Elite Street drawn barrier 10 with Brad Rawiller in the saddle dominating Winterbottom Stakes betting at $2.45 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

The horse will come into barrier nine with emergencies out and is looking to go back-to-back in the event for the first time since Hardrada (2002-03).

Queensland great Buffering is the last dual Winterbottom Stakes winner but he won on non-successive years (2013, 2015).

Elite Street comes into the Winterbottom Stakes field having won all three of his lead-up runs this prep, the Street Boss five-year-old last seen carrying 59.5kg to victory from barrier 14 of 15 in the Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m).

Back at weight-for-age and up to 1200m, the gun galloper looks a huge chance to salute for the punters for the first time since Buffering (2015).

While his record is definitely better at the 1000-1100m distance range, he did win last year’s race over the 1200m and Elite Street has an outstanding strike-rate at the Ascot track (8:6-1-0).

The danger occupying the second line of Winterbottom Stakes betting this Perth Summer Racing Carnival is the fellow Morton-trained Wilchino ($4) drawn the rails.

Chris Parnham partners the flying Maschino mare who chases an impressive seventh win on the trot.

Having just her 12^th career start in the Winterbottom, the bonny bay is already an eight-time winner and has saluted in all but one of her six previous runs at the Ascot track.

This is obviously a rise in grade for her, but she was excellent on November 12 winning at the track and distance with 60kg on her back and should be flying form the inside alley on 56.5kg this weekend.

The only other single-figure fancy at current Winterbottom Stakes odds of $8 is the widely-drawn Graceful Girl jumping from the outside alley with superstar hoop William Pike aboard.

Pike chases his third Winterbottom Stakes win since 2003 and his first since Hadabeclorka.

Despite having dominated most of the other Perth races over the past few seasons, incredibly father-daughter duo Grant & Alana Williams chase their first Winterbottom success as trainers.

Alana won the race as a jockey aboard Fair Alert for Ray Sweetman back in 2001 when the race held Group 2 status and so success on Saturday would be a huge affair for the team.

Their runner Graceful Girl is a four-year-old daughter of Nicconi and is undefeated (4:4-0-0) over 1200m.

A classy chestnut, the mare boasts a 50% winning strike-rate from her 10 runs to date and was brave when under a length back second to Elite Street in the Colonel Reeves last time out.

Click here for the latest Winterbottom Stakes 2021 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2021 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Barriers

Table Credit: Racing Australia.