Aside from the headline race of the day, the 2010 Victoria Derby, the other most anticipated event at Flemington’s opening Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting this Saturday is the $1 million Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m).
The 2010 Mackinnon Stakes has drawn a cracker field of 12 weight-for-age stars, headlined by leading Melbourne Cup favourites So You Think and Shocking.
Bart Cummings’ dual Cox Plate champion So You Think is the red hot favourite to win the Mackinnon on Saturday, at a short price of $1.60 through Luxbet.
The second favourite in the field is Shocking, paying a far more generous $6.50.
So You Think is the superstar of the spring, set to jump from barrier eight as the High Chaparral four-year-old attempts his eighth career win from just 11 starts.
The only other Mackinnon Stakes runner at single figure odds is John Wallace’s Cox Plate fourth placegetter Shoot Out drawn ideally in barrier two and currently at a quote of $9.50.
Good horses to add into the exotics that are at generous odds include Caulfield Cup winner Descarado ($16) and Bart Cummings’ Melbourne Cup bound mare Faint Perfume ($26).
The 2010 Mackinnon Stakes will run as Race 5 at Flemington on Saturday and is scheduled to jump at 2:05pm.
2010 Mackinnon Stakes Field, Barriers & Odds
| No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SHOCKING | Mark Kavanagh | Michael Rodd | 11 | 59 | 6.50 |
| 2 | METAL BENDER (NZ) | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 1 | 59 | 18.00 |
| 3 | C’EST LA GUERRE (NZ) | Robert Hickmott | Dwayne Dunn | 7 | 59 | 51.00 |
| 4 | GINGA DUDE (NZ) | Graeme Boyd | Michael Walker | 10 | 59 | 16.00 |
| 5 | RAINBOW STYLING (NZ) | M, W & J Hawkes | Luke Nolen | 3 | 59 | 61.00 |
| 6 | SO YOU THINK (NZ) | Bart Cummings | Steven Arnold | 8 | 58 | 1.60 |
| 7 | DESCARADO (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 5 | 58 | 16.00 |
| 8 | SHOOT OUT | John Wallace | Corey Brown | 2 | 58 | 9.50 |
| 9 | KIDNAPPED | Peter Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 4 | 58 | 31.00 |
| 10 | TRUSTING | John P Thompson | Jim Cassidy | 12 | 58 | 34.00 |
| 11 | RED COLOSSUS | Greg Eurell | Chris Symons | 6 | 58 | 101.00 |
| 12 | FAINT PERFUME | Bart Cummings | James Winks | 9 | 56 | 26.00 |
*Odds provided by Luxbet and are subject to change