• 2023 Ranvet Stakes Scratchings Update: International raider #4 Raise You (4) from the Joseph O’Brien stables has been withdrawn after sustaining an injury to his near foreleg.

The spring’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip looks well positioned to return to winning form second as the narrow favourite in 2023 Ranvet Stakes betting at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.

Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip is second-up favourite in 2023 Ranvet Stakes betting at Rosehill on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Sydney is host to one of the year’s biggest and best days of racing on Saturday when five elite levels take place on Golden Slipper Day including the Group 1 $1 million Ranvet Stakes (2000m).

The weight-for-age clash serves as a key lead-up to some of the autumn’s upcoming staying majors it is the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained two-miler Gold Trip tipped to win.

The French-bred Outstrip stallion was huge in the spring when runner-up in the Caulfield Cup before returning on the first Tuesday of November to win the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington in an impressive two length upset.

Fresh at Sandown on February 25 he was good again only a quarter-length beaten when second to Steinem in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m).

Second-up and fitter for the run Gold Trip heads north for the Ranvet Stakes up over a bit more of a trip and sits top of the Ranvet Stakes odds at $4 through Ladbrokes.com.au with Mark Zahra retaining the ride.

It is a super tight top half of the market in Ranvet Stakes betting with three notable dangers following very closely with the Chris Waller-trained Group 1 winning mare Hinged ($4.20), Mo’unga ($4.40) and early mover Dubai Honour ($4.50) bosting genuine claims.

Hinged gets the rails run from barrier one in the small field and will be given every hope by the talented James McDonald.

She is rock-hard fit having her fourth run this campaign and continues to get support from the punters despite two unplaced runs of late.

The four-year-old daughter of Worthy Cause caught the eye fresh finishing runner-up to Anamoe in the Apollo over 1400m before a sixth to him in the Chipping Norton at a mile.

At her latest she was eighth to Espiona at the Rosehill track only last weekend when four lengths beaten in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) from a wide alley.

She is drawn better on the quick back-up, but needs to improve to beat a few of these runners that look a better price in better form.

The Annabel Neasham-trained Mo’unga won the Rosehill Guineas at this track and distance on Slipper Day back in 2021.

The now five-year-old is third-up and fit from barrier six for jockey Nash Rawiller in the Ranvet bringing in the strong form lines around Anamoe.

He was fifth fresh at Randwick in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) behind the Cox Plate winner before finishing third to the same gun galloper last month in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m).

Mo’unga is two-from-two at Rosehill and is sure to feature at the track looking back to his best this prep.

There is an international flavour to this year’s small eight-horse Ranvet Stakes field with British horseman William Haggas saddling-up Dubai Honour from gate two with Ryan Moore in town to ride.

The Pride Of Dubai gelding is after his first victory since posting back-to-back wins in France back August and October of 2021, so it has been a while between drinks ahead of his Australian race debut.

At his last start the UK galloper was unplaced in the Group 1 Champion Stakes (2004m) at Royal Ascot with a big weight last October, but is being kept safe in Ranvet betting by the Aussie bookies.

Outside of the dominant top four yet another runner is at current single-figure Ranvet Stakes odds of $9.50 with David Payne’s five-year-old mare Kermadec mare Montefilia back to defend her title.

Twelve months ago, she defeated the 2021 Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant home second-up off a Chipping Norton seventh winning the Ranvet on Heavy going by two lengths.

Her form since has been hit and miss including being found out distance-wise when 16^th to Gold Trip in last year’s Melbourne Cup results.

Montefilia was a first-up surprise at big odds only two lengths back fifth in the Chipping Norton and shapes-up as an improver to watch at a price on the weekend.

The 2023 Ranvet Stakes is scheduled to run as Rosehill Race 6 at 3:15pm (AEDT) on Saturday with full markets thanks to Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.

2023 Ranvet Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Table Credit: Racing Australia.