The Chris Waller-trained Democracy Manifest is tipped to win the biggest race in Sydney on Saturday with the five-year-old heading betting on the $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m).

Democracy Manifest is early favourite to take out the 2023 $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude this weekend at Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.

While Melbourne hosts the time-honoured Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m), up north the punters get an early look at the best five-year-olds aiming at the $2 million The Five Diamonds later in the spring.

The Prelude offers a ballot free ride to the winner into the grand Final, and Ellsberg won the opening edition of both races when completing the double last Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

He also won the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) during a stellar season, and that mile classic produces many of the key Prelude hopefuls on Saturday.

Flying Artie gelding Democracy Manifest has a strong Randwick record (8:3-0-1) and won the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) over the Five Diamonds Prelude distance at Newcastle in record time two back.

He then finished an excellent fifth to stablemate Rediener in the Epsom only 1.28 lengths beaten with 51.5kg.

At set weights with penalties he goes up notably in weight to 57.5kg this weekend with Tyler Schiller continuing associations.

Despite the extra kilos Democracy Manifest remains the favourite at $4.60 through Ladbrokes.com.au to return to winning form.

Four of his rivals are also at single-figures including the $6 second elect Cotehele drawn favourably in barrier five for jockey Tom Sherry.

The John O’Shea-trained Tavistock gelding caught the eye fresh when narrowly denied victory in the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on October 7 off a three-month break.

He went down a nostril-flare to Cepheus in a speedily run race with 53kg and presents fitter second-up here.

Following closely on the third line of Five Diamonds Prelude betting at $7 is another for the Waller camp, Waterford, drawn mid-field in gate seven with Tommy Berry in the saddle and out to atone for his Alan Brown ninth.

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained topweight Converge ($9.50) with 59.5kg and the Hawkes Racing-trained Altivo ($9.50) complete the single-figure fancies.

Converge is a dual Group 1 winner who performed strongly against subsequent The Everest winner Think About It in Brisbane during the winter.

He was good first-up running fourth in the Gorup 3 Bill Ritchie, but was a flat 13^th in the Epsom that he is out to atone for here.

Altivo meanwhile is up notably in grade here third-up and fit.

The early Five Diamonds Prelude market mover meanwhile is another for the Waterhouse/Bott stable with money coming for the consistent Zoumon, to be ridden first-up by Rachel King in gate nine, to win his spring return.

The progressive Zoustar gelding enjoyed three straight Listed wins last prep including completing the Caloundra Cup – Grafton Cup double in July.

He has been strong in two lead-up Randwick trials and will only improve on whatever he does here getting out over further later this prep.

The 2023 Five Diamonds Prelude is set to run as Randwick Race 8 at 4:50pm (AEDT) with the latest markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.

2023 Five Diamonds Prelude Final Field & Barrier Draw

Table Credit: Racing Australia.