A line-up of two-year-olds eyeing a Magic Millions 2YO Classic bid at the Gold Coast next month are engaged to do battle in the 2017 BJ McLachlan Stakes field in Brisbane on Saturday.

Jockey Michael Cahill rides the 2017 BJ McLachlan Stakes favourite Orcein on the weekend in Brisbane. Photo: Daniel Costello.

Due to run as Doomben Race 3 at 1:22pm (AEST), this year’s Group 3 $200,000 Magic Millions B.J. McLachlan Stakes (1200m) field is down to a dozen hopefuls after the early withdrawal of the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Legislation (13).

Updated BJ McLachlan Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are an open affair with half the remaining runners under $10 for the win including the $3.50 favourite Orcein out to break his maiden status.

The Sydney raider hails from the stables of Chris Waller and Orcein is drawn ideally in gate two with Michael Cahill booked to ride the Snitzel colt.

Third to Secret Lady in the $150,000 Golden Gift (1100m) on debut in late November, Orcein was last seen racing at Rosehill again when runner-up to Gongs in a two-years-old handicap on December 9.

Up to 1200m with the right alley to be competitive, the up-and-comer is being kept safe in betting for the weekend and is currently listed as a $13 shot in the all-in markets for the Restricted Listed $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on January 13.

The other shortest-priced BJ McLachlan Stakes horse in the futures Magic Millions 2YO Classic 2018 odds online at $17 is the Tony McEvoy-trained Crockett.

Winner of a 1000m Adelaide sprint on debut in early October, All American colt Crockett was last seen finishing a distant second to the Tony Gollan-trained Ef Troop in Doomben’s Listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1100m) on December 16.

Ef Troop is the equal $4.20 Magic Millions 2YO Classic favourite along with Wyong winner Jonker and Crockett, a $7 chance for Saturday, can join them at the top of the markets with a big win this weekend.

Occupying the second line of BJ McLachlan Stakes betting meanwhile at $6 is Witherspoon, followed closely by the likes of Hopes Eternal ($6.50) and Fullazaboot ($7.50).

Witherspoon in gate nine is the best fancied of the fillies in the mix, the Brad Widdup-trained daughter of Exceed And Excel hailing from Hawkesbury.

She ran eighth on debut at Randwick behind Satin Slipper in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) in late September before travelling to Doomben a fortnight ago to run under a length away third behind Outback Barbie in the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes (1100m).

Witherspoon takes on the colts and geldings for the first time on the weekend, but presents fitter for her lead-up run at the track and drops back to 55kg with Melbourne Cup winning jockey Corey Brown to ride.

Luke Dittman rides the consistent John Zielke-trained Jet Spur gelding Hopes Eternal from Toowoomba from a nice gate three draw.

The galloper won his opening two career starts, including a 1050m Doomben race by nearly three lengths in mid-October, and is out to improve on a lead-up fourth behind Ef Troop at that same track and distance from November 4.

Hopes Eternal has enjoyed a freshen-up since his last start, the form of which was subsequently franked by the winner, and a drop down from 59kg to 57kg at set weights on Saturday puts him right in the mix.

Fullazaboot meanwhile is a beautifully bred Sepoy colt prepared on the Sunshine Coast by Stuart Kendrick out to improve on a lead-up second over the track and distance from the start of the month.

The other single-figure fancy in the mix is Sizzling Ace ($9) from the Gold Coast, Toby Edmonds’ Sizzling filly coming off a debut fourth when just one and a half lengths beaten in the Calaway Gal Stakes.

See below for the full Magic Millions B.J. McLachlan Stakes 2017 field, barriers, jockeys and latest Doomben weekend racing odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 BJ McLachlan Stakes Field & Odds