British jockey William Buick is keen to reunite with the Charlie Appleby-trained Scottish in Saturday’s 2016 Emirates Stakes where he believes the Caulfield Cup runner-up will be back to his best dropping in distance.

Scottish (behind) is back to his pet distance of 2000m in Saturday’s 2016 Emirates Stakes at Flemington. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

From four runs over 2000m the Teofilo gelding boasts an outstanding record of three wins and a third.

He returns to those meters at Flemington Racecourse on the final Melbourne Cup Carnival card as one of the best in betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the rejuvenated $2 million Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m).

In his Australian race debut, Scottish had subsequent Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy aboard for his second to Jameka in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

He finished three lengths off the winner, but coming back in distance can atone and head home with an elite level weight-for-age win in the Emirates Stakes.

Buick has ridden the middle-distance stayer three times to date, the latest producing a Group 3 win over 1799m at York back in August, and the hoop is confident ahead of Saturday’s race.

“I thought he ran well [in the Caulfield Cup], I was pleasantly surprised how he saw the trip out,” he said at a media conference on Friday after arriving in Melbourne the day before.

“I think his best trip could be a mile-and-a-quarter [2000m] a mile-and-a-half probably stretched him [2400m], although he seemed to see it out well, he was a bit messy early because he missed a break but Kerrin [McEvoy] did what he had to do, made his own running, the winner won well but he boxed on and it was an encouraging run coming in to this.”

The latest Emirates Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Scottish, in barrier six, as the $5 third favourite.

Markets are led by the Lloyd Williams-owned The United States ($4.20) on the quick back-up off a Cantala Stakes fourth on Derby Day and the French raider Vadamos ($4.60) who ran fourth to Winx in the Cox Plate last start.

“He is a quality horse, he is a good horse, but the key attribute to him is that he is very flexible, his run style and things like that, he is very easy, hopefully that will stand him in good stead for Saturday,” Buick added of his mount.

Of the rivals, Buick suggested that the Andre Fabre-trained Vadamos presented a big danger and also rated the class of the Chris Waller-trained import Endless Drama ($13) who races first-up in Australia in the Emirates.

“Vadamos is a Group 1 winner this year, Endless Drama has some smart form as a three-year-old in Ireland, he was second in the Irish 2000 Guineas behind Gleneagles, if he brings his A-game he could be difficult, so too Vadamos,” he said.

To check out the full Emirates Stakes betting 2016 odds and options head to Ladbrokes.com.au now – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).