Last year’s winner Redzel is again tipped as the horse to beat in Brisbane’s opening Group 1 race on Saturday with the Team Snowden-trained sprinter leading pre-field Doomben 10,000 2018 betting in Brisbane.

Redzel has his autumn – winter grand final in the Doomben 10,000 2018 in Brisbane on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Earlier this week it was confirmed Redzel would represent Yulong Investments with a title defence in the $13 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick in Sydney this coming October.

Before a shot at back-to-back wins in the world’s richest race on turf, the five-year-old son of Snitzel will look for a second victory in the Group 1 $700,000 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.

Last Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival Redzel won his first career Group 1 in the Doomben 10,000 before an outstanding spring that included taking out the inaugural The Everest and saluting down the famous Flemington straight in the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m).

Since the Darley the galloper has enjoyed a Group 2 win and two Group 1 placings, the latest behind gun three-year-old Trapeze Artist in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) on April 7.

The bookies rate him to return to winning form in his campaign grand final on Saturday, Redzel sitting top of the pre-field Doomben 10,000 odds at $2.50 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

A win on the weekend and Redzel will become only the fifth racehorse to surpass $9 million in career prize money in Australasia.

His biggest threat is fellow The Everest confirmed runner In Her Time ($3.50), Ben Smith’s class mare from Newcastle looking to be the first female Doomben 10,000 winner since Hot Danish (2010) and Beaded (2011) went back-to-back.

Time Thief five-year-old In Her Time won the Group 1 The Galaxy (110m) first-up in late March before her third in the TJ Smith Stakes and she has been kept fit with a subsequent five length winning barrier trial at home on April 24.

The mare also has the advantage of three previous runs at Doomben Racecourse from last winter, her best result a second when a quarter length off Impending in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m).

The other early single-figure hope in the Doomben 10,000 markets at $9 is the reigning Stradbroke Handicap winner Impending.

The Godolphin-raced son of Lonhro hasn’t won a race since, but the four-year-old entire put the writing on the wall with his class smart win in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at the track and distance on April 28.

Victory Stakes runner-up Most Important meanwhile is at $21 in all-in Doomben 10,000 betting for local trainer Tony Gollan who won the race four years back with Spirit Of Boom (2014).

The official Doomben 10,000 2018 field and barriers are set for release on Wednesday with updated markets to follow at Ladbrokes.com.au.