The Roman Consul Stakes 2015 takes place at Randwick Racecourse this Saturday as part of the Epsom Handicap Day line-up on the biggest meeting of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, betting tips for the three-year-olds’ race found below.

There are 11 hopefuls running in this year’s $300,000 Group 2 Canterbury BMW Roman Consul Stakes (1200m), the set weights clash running as Randwick Race 4 at 2:10pm (AEST).

Heading the current Roman Consul Stakes betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au at the deserving odds-on price of $1.50 is John O’Shea’s Golden Rose winner Exosphere.

Drawn ideally in barrier three with top Sydney-based jockey James McDonald retaining the ride, the nicely-bred Lonhro colt has won four of his six starts to date including the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) last time out.

He’s the class horse in the line-up and undoubtedly the one to beat but the most likely for the upset according to the bookies are the Chris Waller-trained Japonisme ($6) out wide in barrier 11 and his last start black-type winning stablemate at the track Counterattack ($9).

So can Exosphere back-up from the Golden Rose win and win his first Randwick assignment or is there a Roman Consul Stakes boil-over on the agenda this weekend?

1^st

#2 Exosphere ($1.50)

There’s no knocking this odds-on favourite who is at the short price but too good to bet against coming down in class off his Group 1 Golden Rose victory back on September 12. Gets the run of the race from barrier three, but does need to handle his first official Randwick run as well as the step back in distance. He’s got enough class to do that though and McDonald knows how to get the job done on the Godolphin galloper.

2^nd

#7 Counterattack ($9)

While not the best fancied of the Waller stablemates in this, barrier two will suit this Redoute’s Choice colt to a tee on the back of a win in the Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m) at the track a fortnight ago. That was his third run at Randwick and added to his two previous seconds here. He’s also got Group 1 form when seventh in the JJ Atkins over a mile, so can handle the extra metres second-up.

3^rd

#10 Sooboog ($21)

Adding value to the exotics is the market mover prepared by Team Hawkes who comes off a Rosehill win in Benchmark 70 company. He did that with ease and deserves a shot in better class here out to improve on his sixth to Furnaces during April in his last Group assignment. He opened at triple figures before being smashed by the punters and now he’s shrugged off the maiden status could be ready to keep it going.

Back our Roman Consul Stakes 2015 tips online now at the hottest odds through Ladbrokes.com.au – home of the Epsom Handicap Cash Back offer on Saturday if your first fixed win selection on the race runs second or third!