John Keys’ Tassie raider The Inevitable is an early Epsom Handicap 2023 betting market mover now installed as favourite for the mile feature at Royal Randwick this weekend in Sydney.

The Inevitable is an early 2023 Epsom Handicap market mover for Saturday’s mile feature at Royal Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.

The Sydney Spring Racing Carnival action heats up on Epsom Day with the meeting headed by a near-capacity field of milers facing off in the Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m).

Sitting top of the latest Epsom Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au is consistent veteran The Inevitable with the eight-year-old son of Dundeel backed in from $9 to $7 to return to winning form second-up.

The top-liner from the Apple Isle made an impact in Melbourne last prep when third to Mr Brightside at The Valley in the $5 million The All-Star Mile (1600m), form that has been firmly franked by the winner this spring.

The Inevitable, formerly with Scott Brunton, ran first-up at Rosehill in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) running a close second to Golden Mile ahead of his second-up run over the mile.

He carried 59kg fresh and will appreciate the drop to 55.5kg in the Epsom fit and ready to fire now.

The other best backed in the current markets is the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Nugget who has been heavily supported firming from $13 to $8 to overcome a wide alley second-up.

Damien Oliver is out to finish his career in the saddle with a bang and partners the seven-year-old son of Siyouni who is a genuine miler with a lovely 1600m record (11:6-2-1).

The import remains lightly-raced with Saturday his 21^st start where he is out to win his first Group race.

He has come close plenty of times including a third to Mr Brightside in the autumn’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) in the wet at the track and trip.

He ran fourth in the Theo Marks and is winding-up for a big run here where he’ll be out to cross, settle closer to the speed and finish home strong.

With one-time favourite Pericles scratched from the Epsom on Tuesday the markets have opened right up and a further two runners are also at single-figures including Hope In Your Heart who is easing out.

Kerry Parker’s mare was heading markets at $7 post-Pericles coming out but is now out to $8.50 with Craig Williams to ride the five-year-old daughter of Dundeel.

She is another that has form around Mr Brightside from the autumn and her mile record is solid.

Second-up now she was third to Pericles in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at the start of the month with improvement to come up to the 1600m now.

The Chris Waller-trained Kovalica is also paying $8.50 with the winter’s Queensland Derby winner blessed with the booking of Brazilian hoop Joao Moreira who won the Golden Rose aboard Militarize for the stable last weekend.

There has also been some early money for the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman-trained Pounding in from $15 to $10 to win third-up with Jamie Kah in the saddle.

Pounding races the Sydney way the first time here looking to frank the form out of Melbourne heading north off a sixth to Mr Brightside in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) and fourth to Pinstriped at The Valley in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at WFA las time out.

Three horses have now officially been scratched from the Epsom Handicap field with Pericles (14), Duke De Sessa (15) and Olentia (17) out.

The 2023 Epsom Handicap is set to run as Randwick Race 8 at 4:05pm (AEST) with full markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.