Burning Front Leads 2016 Rewards Stakes Field & Odds

The Darren Weir-trained Burning Front has opened favourite to win his third straight race this Saturday at Flemington Racecourse in the Rewards Stakes 2016 on Australian Guineas Day.

Burning Front is favourite to continue a nice winning streak with success in Flemington’s 2016 TAB Rewards Stakes this Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Due to run as Flemington Race 5 at 3:10pm (AEDT), this year’s $150,000 Group 3 TAB Rewards Stakes (1400m) features a final field of 10 hopefuls to face off in the handicap clash.

Current Rewards Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are led by Primus five-year-old Burning Front at $3.40 who is drawn a treat in barrier four with jockey Brad Rawiller continuing his association.

Rawiller has ridden the galloper to back-to-back wins this time in, the latest of which was a Group 3 at Caulfield over the mile carrying 56kg by one and three quarter lengths on February 13.

Three weeks between runs is a space that suits Burning Front who gets a better barrier here, but goes up a kilo to 57kg when dropping back 200m in distance.

Close second favourite in Rewards Stakes betting is the early market mover Dan Zephyr drawn the rails and getting in on the 54kg minimum weight here.

Prepared by Mornington’s Pat Cary the five-year-old Danbird gelding is up in black-type company for the first time at his 17^th career start after winning three on the trot in Melbourne over 1400m going back to late January.

He has snuck in on 52 – 52.5kg in all three of those wins thanks to the apprentice claim of Michael Dee who retains the ride on Saturday even though apprentice cannot claim in the Group 3 clash.

The other best fancied runner is Leebaz ($6.50) who is drawn in the outside alley and carries the 58.5kg top weight as the Team Hawkes-trained Zabeel six-year-old shoots for his first win since the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast last April.

It has been nearly a year between runs then for the galloper who was last seen crossing a first-up fifth to boom mare Winx beaten four lengths with 59kg on his back in Sydney’s Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) on February 13.

Rounding out the single figure hopes in this year’s Rewards Stakes field and markets at $9 is then Mighty Like who Craig Newitt rides on 54kg from barrier seven.

The in-form Caulfield horseman Mick Price trains this Host six-year-old who comes off a third to Dan Zephyr at the track a fortnight back and who won the Listed Barton Stakes (1400m) at home on Australia Day three back.

Other notable hopes at more generous odds include Tony McEvoy’s returning stayer Big Memory ($10) who has a good place rate at Flemington, the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained CF Orr Stakes flop Red Bomber ($10) down in class after finishing 16^th of 18 runners to Suavito in the Group 1 three weeks ago and Leon & Troy Corstens’ 33-start veteran General Groove ($11) who also has top three form around Dan Zephyr.

See below for the full Rewards Stakes 2016 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and current Fixed Win odds open online now at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost for better prices every day in every race on any runner!