Perth’s Ascot Racecourse hosts the final Australian Group 1 race of 2023 with the Annabel Neasham-trained veteran, Zaaki, heading the Northerly Stakes field and betting markets.

Zaaki is firm favourite in Northerly Stakes 2023 betting to win the final Group 1 Australian race of the calendar year. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

A talented line-up of summer hopefuls faces off in this year’s Group 1 $1.5 million Northerly Stakes (1800m) including nine-year-old Zaaki who heads west for the first time.

The multiple Group 1 winning import has been kept fresh since his brave fourth when only two lengths beaten in the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival – a race the good old boy had won the previous two years running.

He has been competitive in plenty over his spring prep without winning and the quality of his rivals drops notably in a winnable edition of the Perth Summer Racing showdown for the $10.8 million earner.

The latest Northerly Stakes odds online at Ladbrokes have Zaaki on top at $2.60 with James McDonald aboard from barrier 10.

Occupying the second line of the markets at $6 is top local hope Alsephina in barrier six with the ‘Wizard of the West’ William Pike in the saddle.

The in-form Star Turn mare comes from the star stables of Grant & Alana Williams.

The father-daughter duo has won three of the past five editions of the Northerly Stakes (formerly known as the Kingston Town Classic).

They saddle-up another livewire hope in 2023 with five-year-old Alsephina who boasts an impressive Ascot track record (9:6-3-0).

She was on fire winning six on the trot last campaign.

This prep she has had three starts for three straight second placings in the traditional Northerly Stakes lead-up races.

At her latest on November 25 the mare was a length off Bustler in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m).

She is rock hard fit now fourth-up and ready to fire getting up over the 1800m that she won the Group 3 La Trice Classic over here back on New Year’s Day.

Rounding out the single-figure fancies is the early market mover Bustler with Neville Parnham’s Railway Stakes champ backed in from $9.50 to $7 at time of publish.

He is looking to become just the fifth horse to complete the Railway Stakes – Northerly Stakes double and gets his chance from gate five with Brad Parnham aboard.

Damien Oliver meanwhile will make his swansong Group 1 appearance in the Northerly with the retiring hoop looking for a fairy tale upset aboard the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Zoumon ($23).

The Zoustar five-year-old is drawn wide out in gate 15 but has genuine claims at the title.

He enjoyed a big winter that included taking out the Caloundra Cup – Grafton Cup double, and he was last seen running a neck back second in Sydney’s $2 million The Five Diamonds (1800m) over this distance at Rosehill.

Also looking potential double-figure value drawn one closer in gate 14 is Parnham’s Group 2 WA Guineas winner Zipaway ($15) in on just 52kg.

The Northerly Stakes 2023 is set to run as Ascot Race 8 on Saturday.

2023 Northerly Stakes Field & Barriers

Table Credit: Racing Australia.