The bookmakers are having a hard time separating the top two three-year-old fillies in the Tea Rose Stakes 2017 field and betting markets for Randwick on Saturday with Champagne Cuddles and Tulip battling for favouritism.

Tulip is one of the top fancied fillies in Saturday’s Tea Rose Stakes 2017 field at Royal Randwick. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

A key lead-up to the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) back at the track in a fortnight, this season’s Group 2 $200,000 McGrath Estate Agents Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) is the latest leg of the Princess Series of races.

Set to run as Randwick Race 5 at 2:35pm (AEST), one race prior to Winx running in the George Main Stakes 2017, the Tea Rose Stakes field has drawn a dozen hopeful fillies.

The latest Tea Rose Stakes odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au have the Bjorn Baker-trained Champagne Cuddles as the narrow $3.10 favourite ahead of Tulip from the Lindsay Park stables.

Not A Single Doubt filly Champagne Cuddles has enjoyed two career wins to date, but is out to breakthrough in Group company for the first time after two close calls this campaign.

First-up she was third, beaten a quarter-length in a blanket finish by the winner Formality in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m).

She went one better on September 2 in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) behind the same rival when a hair away from Formality, who is the notable non-acceptor for the Tea Rose Stakes this weekend going instead into Saturday week’s Golden Rose Stakes.

Drawn barrier nine, the bookmakers have Champagne Cuddles on top as she prepares to peak third-up getting out over 1400m for the first time.

Tulip shapes-up as the notable danger occupying the second line of Tea Rose Stakes betting at $3.80 and drawn a treat in gate four.

Jockey Hugh Bowman, who also rides Winx again on Saturday, partners the well-bred Pierro filly who comes off a devastatingly close second behind Roomooz in a 1200m Moonee Valley race on August 26.

A Group 2 winner at Rosehill back in March on the back of a Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes fourth in Melbourne, Tulip also showed her class when third in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old.

Saturday is her second start over 1400m and she’ll be out to go better than the brave fifth against the boys when just over four lengths off the winner Invader in the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) back in April.

The other best fancied fillies in the mix from a betting perspective are Alizee ($6) and I Am Excited ($9) drawn in barriers six and 11 respectively.

James Cummings prepares Sepoy filly Alizee for the powerhouse Godolphin stable and she comes off the traditional lead-ups having run second in the Silver Shadow and fourth in the Furious Stakes.

Alizee also has form around Tulip from March when second in the Group 2 Magic Night Stakes (1200m).

I Am Excited is also a Furious Stakes graduate, the David Pfieffer-trained daughter of Snitzel improving on her fifth to Golden Rose favourite Menari in The Rosebud first-up when third to Formality two weeks ago beaten a quarter-length.

There’s also plenty of attention on the latest run by Pandemonium ($11) in gate three lining-up for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.

Waterhouse has prepared a record eight previous Flight Stakes winners, including Global Glamour in 2016, and is hoping to get Sebring filly Pandemonium into the Group 1 over the Randwick mile this Epsom Handicap Day.

Pandemonium comes into the Tea Rose Stakes in outstanding form following back-to-back Sydney wins this preparation.

Her latest was in a Benchmark 70 on August 23 at Warwick Farm when an easy winner over a mile.

Check out the full Tea Rose Stakes 2017 field, barriers, jockeys and latest Fixed Win odds below courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 Tea Rose Stakes Field & Odds