Kiwi raider Mongolian Marshal is the firming favourite in the Tulloch Stakes 2018 field and betting markets for Saturday’s traditional ATC Derby lead-up at Rosehill Gardens.

Levendi is a livewire hope in Saturday’s 2018 Tulloch Stakes in his first Sydney assignment. Photo: Steve Hart.

Due to run as Rosehill Race 5 at 2:55pm (AEDT) on Tancred Stakes Day, the field for this season’s Group 2 $200,000 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) is down to 15 three-year-olds following the early scratching of Epic Rant (7).

Heading the updated Tulloch Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3.30 and shortening is the Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained New Zealand stayer Mongolian Marshal.

Drawn in gate three with ace hoop Craig Williams booked to ride the High Chaparral gelding for his Australia race debut, Mongolian Marshal comes off back-to-back mile wins at home.

Saturday marks his first test over further than 1600m and his co-trainer Murray Baker won the Tulloch Stakes – Australian Derby double last year with Jon Snow (2017).

Baker has actually prepared four Australian Derby winners and this untapped youngster is rated a $10 shot in futures markets for the 2400m Group 1 Saturday week should he win on Saturday and be put on the quick back-up.

There are three other single-figure hopes in the Tulloch Stakes markets including the $4.80 second elect Levendi in barrier six with Mark Zahra in the saddle.

Peter Gelagotis’s Pierro colt had no luck when dead last and pushed out of a run in the Australian Guineas two back, but finished closer under the lights at The Valley on March 16 when runner-up to Cliff’s Edge in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m).

Cliff’s Edge didn’t handle the Sydney way in last weekend’s Rosehill Guineas, but Gelagotis is confident Levendi can get the job done at Rosehill this Saturday.

The other best in betting are the widely-drawn Belfast ($7) out in gate 13 (into 12) and Astoria ($7.50) to be ridden by Hugh Bowman.

Well-bred Teofilo colt Belfast is also an Alister Clark Stakes graduate having run a nice third just two lengths beaten in his first test over the distance.

Prepared at Cranbourne by Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young, he too is on debut in Sydney in the Tulloch Stakes looking to earn a shot at the 2018 Australian Derby over a mile and a half on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’.

Astoria meanwhile presents fit fourth-up for Godolphin on the weekend, the spring’s VRC Derby third placegetter having run fourth in the Alister Clark last time out after back-to-back Caulfield placings.

He however does have form in Sydney, the James Cummings-trained Medaglia D’Oro colt having his fourth run at the Rosehill track and his first since running fifth to Ace High in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) last October.

Check out the full Tulloch Stakes 2018 field, barriers and Fixed Win odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au below ahead of the Group 2 this weekend.

2018 Tulloch Stakes Field & Odds