The James Cummings-trained Cylinder is tipped to return to winning form when he steps out favourite in the Group 1 $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Cylinder is favourite to win Saturday’s 2023 Coolmore Stud Stakes in Melbourne for Godolphin. Photo: Steve Hart.

The four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival gets underway this weekend with VRC Derby Day – a day for racing purists!

All nine races on the card at Flemington hold Group status including a trio of elite level races including the Coolmore Stud Stakes which is a sprint down the famous ‘Straight Six’ for the three-year-old horses.

Cummings took out the event last spring with classy filly In Secret and looks to have a genuine shot at back-to-back wins saddling-up this year’s favourite.

Exceed And Excel colt Cylinder pays $4.50 in the latest Coolmore Stud Stakes odds at Ladbrokes despite a wide barrier 14 draw in the bumper 19-horse field.

Tim Clark has the ride on the multiple Group winner who comes off some strong form lines.

Two back he backed-up from his Group 2 Run To The Rose victory when third to Militarize a neck beaten in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) in Sydney.

At his latest he ran only a length back fifth in Randwick’s $20 million The Everest (1200m) and should relish facing a field of his own age this weekend back down south according to Cummings.

“Cylinder pulled up fantastic from The Everest and he just should be perfectly at his prime and ready to launch,” Cummings told SENTrack’s Giddy Up.

“This will be a vital race for the horse’s whole career not just this preparation.

“Everything this preparation leads us to this Coolmore.”

Four other runners are currently at single-figures to win including the Chris Waller-trained Golden Slipper winner Shinzo ($7) drawn a treat in gate four.

Jockey James McDonald, who is gearing up for the ride on defending champion Gold Trip in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup field, has ridden the past two Coolmore Stud Stakes winners and is after the hat-trick this weekend.

Waller’s Snitzel colt is looking for his first win since beating Cylinder in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) during the autumn.

He is looking to bounce back from two below par runs this prep running back-to-back ninths in the Golden Rose and The Everest and there is money for him to return to better form now.

King’s Gambit is next best in the markets at $8 with the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained I Am Invincible colt coming off a confidence boosting Group 1 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) win by 1.68 lengths over the distance at Rosehill in early October.

I Am Unstoppable ($16 into $9.50) is the early market mover, while Stretan Angel ($9.50) is the other best in betting having firmed in from double-figures over the past couple of days.

Blake Shinn partners the Lloyd Kennewell & Lucy Yeomans-trained I Am Unstoppable in the place of Zac Spain in the Group 1 with the horse coming off two good seconds at the track.

Two back he was a half-length off Archo Nacho in the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1100m), a race King’s Gambit finished third in.

He was up in grade here last month in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1100m) and just went down to the filly Stretan Angel with the two facing off in a rematch in Group 1 grade now.

The Coolmore Stud Stakes is scheduled to run as Flemington Race 6 at 3:40pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

2023 Coolmore Stud Stakes Field & Barriers

Table Credit: Racing Australia.