The feature race at Royal Randwick on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ this Saturday is the 2017 Doncaster Mile, a full form guide analysis and betting preview for which can be found below.

I Am A Star is out to be the first Doncaster Mile winning filly since Sunline (1999). Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Set to run as Randwick Race 9 of 10 on the bumper Sydney racing line-up at 5:10pm (AEDT), the $3 million Group 1 The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) field will run at its 20 starter capacity for the third time in four years.

First emergency New Tipperary has gained a start on the 51kg minimum after the early scratching of the Darren Weir-trained Tosen Stardom who had the outside barrier and a Heavy Randwick track working against him.

Updated Doncaster Mile odds online are led by the genuine mudlark in the mix, Le Romain.

Kris Lees’ flying four-year-old is two from three this season including the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) win at weigh-for-age at Randwick on a Heavy (10).

His lead-up in the Doncaster Mile field 2017 was a brave second to the world’s best horse Winx in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m), and without her in the mix he looks the one to beat.

The other top fancies in Doncaster Mile betting this autumn include Weir’s Blamey Stakes winner Palentino ($9), Happy Clapper ($9) coming off a Group 3 win and Lindsay Park’s Newmarket Handicap winner Redkirk Warrior ($9) rising notably in distance.

Below we look to uncover the value in the markets with our comprehensive Doncaster Mile form guide, betting history and statistical facts ahead of the Group 1 run in the mud this weekend.

2017 Doncaster Mile Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Doncaster Mile winner was the Chris Waller-trained Winx (2016) who came off a George Ryder Stakes win, jumped from barrier 11 (of 15) and carried 56.5kg to victory with Hugh Bowman aboard
• Chris Waller (29-6-2-2) has won the past four editions of the Doncaster Mile and has prepared a total of six winners in the autumn classic
• Waller is back this weekend chasing his fifth Doncaster Mile trophy in as many years with: #8 Arod ($61), #11 McCreery ($11), #12 Endless Drama ($17) and #16 Antonio Giuseppe ($13)
• The other previous Doncaster Mile winning trainers with a runner on Saturday are: Gai Waterhouse (47-7-4-4) with #7 Ecuador ($26); John O’Shea (8-2-0-0) with #1 Hauraki ($11), #6 It’s Somewhat ($34) and #19 Spectroscope ($12); Joe Pride (6-2-0-0) with #21 New Tipperary ($41); and John Hawkes (44-1-3-2) with #20 Euro Angel ($91)

• Last year’s winning hoop Hugh Bowman (10-1-1-0) chases back-to-back Doncaster Mile wins by a jockey for the first time since Glen Boss won three on the trot (2006-08) aboard #2 Le Romain ($5.50)
• The other previous Doncaster Mile winning jockeys with a ride this year are: Zac Purton (7-1-0-0) on #6 It’s Somewhat and Tommy Berry (6-1-0-1) on #16 Antonio Giuseppe
• Last year’s winning barrier (11) has two Doncaster Mile winners (since 1983) and is drawn this year by #20 Euro Angel – with emergencies out the gate will belong to #18 Testashadow (13 into 11)
• The most successful Doncaster Mile barrier in that time producing five winners is gate 12 drawn this year by the second emergency #22e No Doubt – with emergencies out the barrier will belong to #7 Ecuador (14 into 12)

• Only one of the past eight Doncaster Mile winners jumped from a single-digit barrier
• The George Ryder Stakes is the key Doncaster Mile form line to follow in the past 30 years including producing the past three straight winners
• The George Ryder Stakes graduates in the Doncaster Mile field this weekend are: Le Romain (2^nd), Hauraki (4^th) and McCreery (5^th)
• Only one of the past eight Doncaster Mile winners ran worse than fourth in the lead-up
• The last-start winners in the race this year are: #3 Palentino (Group 2 Blamey Stakes, 1600m, Flemington, 18/03/2017), #5 Happy Clapper (Group 3 Newcastle Newmarket Handicap, 1400m, Newcastle, 17/03/2017), #6 It’s Somewhat (Group 2 Ajax Stakes, 1500m, Rosehill, 11/03/2017), #10 Redkirk Warrior (Group 1 Newmarket Handicap, 1200m, Flemington, 11/03/2017), #14 I Am A Star (Group 2 Sunline Stakes, 1600m, Moonee Valley, 24/03/2017), #15 Hey Doc (Group 1 Australian Guineas, 1600m, Flemington, 04/03/2017) and #19 Spectroscope (Group 3 Doncaster Prelude, 1500m, Rosehill, 25/03/2017)
• #6 It’s Somewhat chases the Ajax Stakes – Doncaster Mile double without a run in between for the first time since Grand Armee (2003)
• The last Doncaster Mile winner to come off a non-Sydney lead-up was Sunline (Moonee Valley Oaks 1^st) back in 1999 and the past 17 champions came off a Rosehill run

• The past eight Doncaster Mile winners came off a Group 1 run with the last to not have an elite level lead-up being Triple Honour (Group 2 Hobartville Stakes 6^th) in 2008
• Three-year-olds have won five of the past 11 editions of the race making them the most successful in that time; the 3YOs in the mix this year are: #14 I Am A Star ($15) and #15 Hey Doc ($16)
• #14 I Am A Star is out to be the first filly to win the Doncaster Mile since Sunline (1999)
• #7 Ecuador and #9 Dibayani are out to be just the second seven-year-old to win the Doncaster Mile (since 1983) joining Pharaoh (1995)
• Mares have won three of the past six editions of the race; the mares in the mix this year are: #20 Euro Angel and #23e Top Of My List
• Favourites in Doncaster Mile betting have won just three times in the past decade; #2 Le Romain is the favourite in 2017
• Randwick is set to be rain-affected on Saturday and the previous winners on Heavy tracks in the mix are: #2 Le Romain (4-2-2-0), #16 Antonio Giuseppe (3-2-0-0), #1 Hauraki (3-1-0-1), #11 McCreery (4-1-1-0), #13 Sense Of Occasion (1-1-0-0), #19 Spectroscope (1-1-0-0) and #23e Top Of My List (3-1-0-1)
• #9 Dibayani ($51) is yet to win on Heavy going but from three runs is yet to finish out of the money in the conditions (3-0-1-2)
• The best Win Rate of the field belongs to #21 New Tipperary (55%) followed by #10 Redkirk Warrior (50%), #15 Hey Doc (50%) and #16 Antonio Giuseppe (50%)
• The highest Place Rate of the field belongs to #19 Spectroscope (89%) followed by #2 Le Romain (88%)
• The horses with the best winning form at the Randwick track are: #2 Le Romain (8-4-3-0), #18 Testashadow (11-4-1-1), #1 Hauraki (12-3-3-3), #5 Happy Clapper (10-3-1-1), #17 Sons Of John (7-3-0-1) and #7 Ecuador (8-2-3-0)
• The horses with the best winning form over the mile are: #3 Palentino (5-3-0-0), #2 Le Romain (3-2-0-0), #5 Happy Clapper (5-2-1-1), #7 Ecuador (9-2-3-0), #11 McCreery (7-3-3-0), #14 I Am A Star (4-2-1-1) and #15 Hey Doc (4-2-0-1)

Stay tuned for our insider Doncaster Mile 2017 betting tips to be published shortly, checking out the full race form guide below in the meantime courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.