Flying Adelaide raider with a liking for the Flemington straight, the Ken Sweeney-trained Riziz has opened top of the tight betting markets for Saturday’s 2013 Aurie’s Star Handicap.

Riziz has opened favourite to win the 2013 Aurie's Star Handicap this weekend. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

A total of 11 hopefuls make up the field for this year’s $150,000 Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m), a launching pad for gallopers heading towards the riches of the annual Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

Of those 11 acceptors, five are under $10 in the Aurie’s Star odds including the early $3.20 favourite Riziz.

Drawn to perfection in gate three with Chris Symons to ride, the Morpehttville-based gelding has won their past two on the trot in Victoria and will be out to make it a Melbourne hat-trick on the weekend.

A winner of seven of their 19 starts, Zariz five-year-old Riziz is also no stranger to Flemington Racecourse.

They’ve twice been tested down the famous straight coming up trumps on both occasions.

The first was a win in the Listed A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) in June last year where they beat Zamorar by half a length having won the Adelaide Guineas over the mile back home the start before.

Their other Flemington triumph was also their latest start, Riziz scoring an easy one and a quarter length win over Livigno in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Final (1200m) on July 6.

The other single-figure Aurie’s Star Handicap fancies are then:

• #2 Temple Of Boom ($4.50) – A winner of this race two years back, Tony Gollan-trained Brisbane galloper and former Group 1 winner thanks to their 2012 The Galaxy effort, has wide barrier (11) and big weight (58kg) to overcome and last run was a dead last finish in the BTC Cup, still has class and first-up at Flemington should suit
• #1 Luckygray ($4.80) – Dual Group 1 winner over 1600m and 1800m back in Perth, now prepared by Robert Smerdon locally and debuts for him here, has Cox Plate ambitions so this might come a bit soon but have flashed home for a resuming win over the sprint distance before, can they do it again with 60kg topweight here thought?
• #6 Zamorar ($7.50) – Consistent Seymour-based galloper will benefit from nice barrier four draw, 54kg light-weight and star hoop Glen Boss in the saddle, has form around the best and is super consistent, was third in this last year on a Slow track and are a known mudlark that will appreciate the sting out of the ground, last run was encouraging too when close fourth beaten only 1.6 lengths by Second Effort in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m0 at Caulfield two weeks ago
• #3 Ferlax ($9) – Another one to get a gun run (barrier two), Australian Guineas winner two back could be looking for a little more distance as Cox Plate is their ultimate goal, still has promise in this as they are undefeated first-up, only defeat was seventh in Randwick Guineas at the end of their big autumn prep, should be fresh and ready to bounce back

Other notable hopes at more generous prices are then the Darren Weir-trained veteran Broken ($10) and last start winner over 1100m at Flemington Falcent ($19) on the rails with the rest of the field at $6 or longer.

Check out the full Aurie’s Star 2013 betting markets below, prices courtesy of our preferred online bookie bookmaker.com.au.

Right now is the perfect time to open your bookmaker.com.au account as the spring is just round the corner and they are offering the best range of Group 1 futures markets on the carnival features.

2013 Aurie’s Star Handicap Odds

Flemington Race 7 – 3:10pm (AEST) – 10/08/2013

*Fixed Win odds provided by bookmaker.com.au and subject to change