The spring’s CF Orr champ Jimmysstar is tipped to resume with another Group 1 success when the classy Ciaron Maher-trained sprinter kicks off his autumn in the 2026 Ladbrokes William Reid Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

While plenty of eyes are on Sydney’s Golden Slipper Day card at Rosehill, Melbourne is host to plenty of topnotch racing action with the William Reid Stakes card to take place at Caulfield as The Valley undergoes a major redevelopment.

A cracking line-up of 11 sprinters will do battle in this year’s Group 1 $1 million Ladbrokes William Reid Stakes (1200m), and it is Caulfield track specialist Jimmysstar dominating the markets at $2.40 through race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au.

The Per Incanto six-year-old boasts five wins from six starts at the track and he’s also a proven first-up performer (7:5-1-0) giving him the upper hand fresh on the weekend from the inside alley with Mark Zahra booked for the star mount.

Jimmysstar was huge in the spring running third to Hong Kong hero Ka Ying Rising in the $20 million The Everest before claiming the interstate Russell Balding Stakes / CF Orr double.

He’s looked the goods in his recent lead-up trials winning back-to-back hit-outs at Cranbourne and, provided he gets the gaps when needed, he shapes up as the one to beat at his pet track.

Sitting equal on the second line of William Reid Stakes betting at $6.50 each are then Cindy Alderson‘s widely drawn Jigsaw in gate 11 and the talented Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Too Darn Hot entire Tropicus.

A rising eight-year-old son of Manhattan Rain, Jigsaw continues to show a terrific zest for racing and comes in off a purple streak of five straight wins.

He travelled across the Tasman in January to score Group 1 glory in New Zealand’s Railway Stakes in a first-up upset then proved the trip had taken away none of his shine returning down under to salute again last weekend.

Jigsaw put an easy 3.5 lengths on She’s Bulletproof in a soft win in the VOBIS Gold Sprint at the track and trip he backs up on and over this weekend.

His winning chances are boosted by the weight drop from 61kg last weekend to 58.5kg at WFA on Saturday with apprentice Logan Bates sticking with from the tricky alley.

Four-year-old Tropicus meanwhile is drawn to get a charmed run from gate two with Jamie Mott coming aboard the last start Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) champ.

Returning to Caulfield but going up to the six furlongs now, Tropicus is another who has proven very effective at the track (6:4-1-0) and after such a dominant display in the Oakleigh it is easy to see why he’s been kept safe in the markets again.

Rounding out the hopes under double figure William Reid Stakes odds is the Leon Corstens & Will Larkin-trained Baraqiel ($8.50).

The Snitzel seven-year-old thrives over the 1200m (9:5-1-2) and will enjoy getting up to his preferred trip after a last start fourth at Flemington when only 1.6 lengths off boom colt Tentyris in February’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).

The spring’s Moir Stakes champ has been kept ticking over with a couple of subsequent trials including a last start winning hit-out at HQ on March 13 and he’ll be in the mix at Caulfield now.

For value, punters are searching a little further down the markets with some standout hopes at bigger prices capable of a shake-up including Angel Capital ($11) for Chris Waller and Grahame Begg‘s resuming mare Magic Time ($13).

Progressive Harry Angel four-year-old Angel Capital was runner-up to Jimmysstar in last November’s CF Orr and has shown plenty in his two runs this time in.

He kicked off in Sydney’s Group 2 Expressway Stakes finishing fourth to his stablemate Joliestar before improving when heading south for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’.

With 56kg he finished only a length back third to shock Newmarket champ Callabus in an ideal lead-up into this.

As for Magic Time, Begg’s six-year-old daughter of Hellbent chases her fifth first-up win at her eighth resuming run bringing in some solid spring form lines including her second to Giga Kick in the Group 1 Champions Sprint over the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Others in the mix include Rey Magnerio ($16) to be ridden by the ‘Wizard of the West’ William Pike first-up having been dominant over in Perth last prep and last September’s Manikato Stakes winning mare Charm Stone ($18).

The 2026 Ladbrokes William Reid Stakes is scheduled as Caulfield Race 8 at 4:15pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s 10-race card.

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