The 2015 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes field has been released and Contributer is set to start his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign in the Group 2 event at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Contributer is set to return to the races in the 2015 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Contributer started his 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with a win in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on February 14 and he went on to stamp himself as the star of the autumn with wins in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on February 28 and the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.

The High Chaparral entire was scratched from the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and sent to the spelling paddock after suffering a minor tendon injury, but he showed that he was ready for a return to racing with two impressive barrier trials at Royal Randwick on August 10 and August 21.

The Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) is the major 2015 Spring Racing Carnival target for Contributer and he will head to the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championships if he has no issues getting around Moonee Valley in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes this weekend.

The P.B. Lawrence Stakes is set to be the key form guide for the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes and the likes of Mourinho, The Cleaner, Dibayani and Big Memory are set to back-up in the Group 2 event this weekend.

The Cleaner was bested by Mourinho in the final stages of the P.B. Lawrence Stakes, but he beat his rivals in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes last year to gain a ballot-exemption into the Cox Plate and both horses are chasing that exemption again this year.

Dibayani hit the line well to finish third in his Australian debut in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes and is sure to have taken plenty of improvement from the run, while Big Memory savaged the line late in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes and he has previously recorded a race win at Moonee Valley.

Foreteller will bring a different form line into the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes, but the veteran gelding looks to have returned to racing in good shape and he finished a more than credible seventh in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on August 22.

One of the most interesting runners in the 2015 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes field is Lloyd Williams-owned Gallante, who is set to have just his second Australian race start.

Gallante failed to fire in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on April 4, but he has form around the likes of 2014 Cox Plate winner Adelaide and he won the Group 1 Grand Prix De Paris (2400m) in France last year.

 Australian Derby winner Ethiopia, Scott Brunton-trained Banca Mo, last start winner Bagman, Peter Moody-trained Kenjorwood and Kiwi galloper No Tricks round out the 2015 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes field.