Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club's Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival brings horses, trainers and jockeys from around Australia and the world to Sydney and includes 18 Group 1 races and 48 black type races from 11 March to 15 April.
Saturday's opening day is just one week before the Group 1 $5 million Longines Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens, the world's richest race for two-year-olds on Australia's biggest day of Group 1 racing.
Along with seven Group features on a 10-race card, Rosehill Gardens on Saturday will be splashed with pink for Chandon Ladies Day as Australian Turf Club and the ATC Foundation raise awareness and funds for the McGrath Foundation.
Australian Turf Club Chief Executive, Jamie Barkley said Sydney's autumn racing was an iconic part of the city's sporting and entertainment landscape.
"World-class horses, jockeys and trainers are converging on Sydney to provide an internationally renowned racing and trackside experience," Mr Barkley said.
"Record prizemoney and a host of racing's most famous Group 1s over the next six weeks place Sydney racing and NSW at the centre of sport and live entertainment.
"Being trackside with family and friends to see this thrilling racing live and the stars of the sport offers a unique celebration and experience second to none in Sydney."
The 51st running of the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic has attracted a big field of 18 acceptances with entries from across Australia and New Zealand, along with two horses recently arrived from the Northern Hemisphere.
Annavisto, trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent JR with leading Sydney jockey Nash Rawiller, is the $5.50 TAB early favourite in a value-packed betting race for punters.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Ruthless Dame to be ridden by one of Sydney racing's star apprentice jockeys Dylan Gibbons is at $7.50.
Two other top Sydney apprentices Tyler Schiller (aboard Expat) and Zac Lloyd (Yearning) join Gibbons in aiming to become the first apprentice since superstar Malcolm Johnston in 1977 to win a Coolmore Classic.
Only two other horses on Saturday are under double-figure odds – Hinged (Chris Waller and James McDonald) and Hope In Your Heart (Kerry Parker and Tim Clark) both at $7.50.
Clark has won two of the past three runnings of the Coolmore Classic while in the past 10 renewals only two horses have started under double-figure odds.
Saturday's meeting sees the running of two final Australian Turf Club qualifying races for the $5 million Longines Golden Slipper – the Group 3 $200,000 Darley Pago Pago Stakes for the colts and geldings and Group 3 $200,000 Tresemme Magic Night Stakes for fillies.
The Graham Begg-trained Maharba $3.50 (jockey Michael Dee) and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable Introducing $3.60 (Brett Prebble) are battling early favourtism in the Darley Pago Pago.
The Chris Waller-trained Shinzo with jockey James McDonald is a firm third favourite $6-$4.80.
In the Tresemme Magic Night Stakes, Steel City for trainers Maher and Eustace and jockey Regan Bayliss is at $3.20 ahead of the well-supported Michael Freedman trained Blanc De Blanc $4.60-$3.80 (James McDonald).
The latest Prizemoney Order Of Entry for the Group 1 $5 million Longines Golden Slipper is available here
The Group 2 $250,000 Chandon Phar Lap Stakes, Group 2 $250,000 Hyland Race Colours Ajax Stakes, Group 3 $350,000 Furphy Sky High Stakes and Group 3 $200,000 City Tattersalls Maurice McCarten Stakes add further Group and black type to the meeting.
Full fields for the 10 races on Saturday are available here and full TAB Fixed Odds markets for all races are here
