The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained King’s Gambit is tipped to beat home his older rivals when the consistent I Am Invincible colt lines-up as favourite in the Oakleigh Plate 2024 at Caulfield this weekend.

King’s Gambit is tipped to beat home his older rivals in the 2024 Oakleigh Plate field this weekend at Caulfield. Photo: Steve Hart.

Saturday racing at Caulfield for Blue Diamond Stakes Day features a triple shot of elite level action including the sprinters doing battle in the Group 1 $750,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m).

This year’s Oakleigh field features 15 final acceptors with the latest markets at Ladbrokes.com.au led by King’s Gambit at $4.50 with the youngster drawn barrier one with Jamie Kah to ride.

Portland Sky (2021) was the last three-year-old Oakleigh Plate winner and there is money for King’s Gambit to be the next as he races first-up in the Group 1.

He is proven at the track having won the Listed Debutant Stakes here on debut in October of 2022 but has raced exclusively in Sydney since putting together a nice record.

This time last year he was performing well over the autumn including his Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes third to Shinzo.

Last time in he was a Group 2 winner in the Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) in October and this weekend he will be looking to kick off where he left off carrying just 50kg from that inside draw.

The danger occupying the second line of Oakleigh Plate betting at $6 is Asfoora in gate 11 with Mitchell Aitken aboard.

Henry Dwyer’s Flying Artie mare is out to atone after going down as the beaten odds-on favourite fresh here in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) when a length beaten by Kallos.

Her form at the track and trip remains excellent (4:3-1-0) with the spring’s Group 1 Moir Stakes runner-up at The Valley and Group 2 Schillaci Stakes champ at Caulfield looking to bounce back.

The other Oakleigh Plate contenders at single-figures for the win are the resuming Jason Warren-trained Benedetta ($9) and the flying Sghirripa ($9.50) with a wide barrier 13 draw to overcome.

Four-year-old Hellbent mare Benedetta has class having won the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) here in the spring before a Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Stakes (1200m) third down the Flemington straight and last start fourth in Sydney’s $1 million Silver Eagle (1300m).

The Shane & Cassie Oxlade-trained Lonhro four-year-old Sghirripa has the fitness edge and rich vein of form having won four of his past five starts, most recently dominating the Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington in mid-January.

Others at longer odds with claims for an upset include 52kg light weight Rey Magnerio ($11) whose recent form is hard to knock, the 58kg Godolphin-raced top-weight Kallos ($12) drawn the outside alley after his upset in the Rubiton, and early Oakleigh Plate market mover Najem Suhail ($14) coming off a trio of frustrating second place finishes in easier grade Melbourne stakes races.

The 2024 Oakleigh Plate is scheduled to run as Caulfield Race 9 a 4:55pm (AEDT) as the penultimate event on the card with full markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.

2024 Oakleigh Plate Final Field & Barrier Draw

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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