The Manikato Stakes 2016 takes place under the lights at Moonee Valley Racecourse on the eve of Cox Plate Day on Friday night and a full form guide preview and betting analysis on the sprint feature can be found right here.

Capitalist is the only three-year-old in the 2016 Manikato Stakes on Friday night at Moonee Valley. Photo: Steve Hart.

Running as Moonee Valley Race 7, the $1 million Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) features a below capacity field of 11 hopefuls.

The latest Manikato Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are firmly led by the Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes-trained Chautauqua who is out to go back-to-back after his win 12 months ago and pays $2.30 to do so.

He got the job done from barrier two last season and is drawn the rails on Friday, a barrier that has produced three of the past seven Manikato Stakes winners.

Chautauqua is second-up following his fourth as the beaten favourite behind Mick Price’s gun three-year-old Extreme Choice at The Valley on September 30 in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m).

He’ll be fitter for that run and has a strong second-up record (7-5-1-0), the six-year-old son of Encosta De Lago also set to appreciate the step-up to his pet distance (15-7-6-1).

His main danger according to the Manikato Stakes betting markets is another Group 1 winning three-year-old out to upset the more experienced sprinter, the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Capitalist ($6).

As a juvenile Capitalist won the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) and he chases his first win since in his Melbourne debut in the Manikato.

Also at single-figures for the win are the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Group 1 winning mare English ($8.50) and the Darren Weir-trained Lucky Hussler ($9).

That’s the story told by the bookies but what about the Manikato Stakes form guide, betting history and statistics?

2016 Manikato Stakes Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Manikato Stakes winner was the Team Hawkes-trained Chautauqua (2015) who came off a win in Flemington’s Group 2 Gilgai Stakes, jumped from barrier 2 (of 10) with Tommy Berry aboard saluting for the punters
• #2 Chautauqua ($2.30) returns in 2016 chasing successive wins in the Manikato Stakes for the first time since Spark Of Life (2004-05)
• This year Chautauqua comes off a fourth in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), which has produced two of the past three Manikato Stakes winners
• Buffering (2013) and Lankan Rupee (2013) both ran second in the Moir Stakes before their respective Manikato wins
• #1 Buffering ($11) is back this weekend looking for a second victory on non-successive years following a first-up fifth in the Moir Stakes

• The full list of Moir Stakes graduates backing up in the Manikato Stakes field this year is: Chautauqua (4^th), Buffering (5^th) and Lucky Hussler (7^th)
• Along with Chautauqua’s co-trainer John Hawkes (12-2-1-1) the other previous Manikato Stakes winning trainers with a runner this year are: Robert Heathcote (5-1-0-0) with #1 Buffering; Chris Waller (3-1-0-0) with #7 Japonisme, John O’Shea (1-1-0-0) with #9 Holler; and Peter Snowden (3-1-1-1) who co-trains #11 Capitalist with son Paul
• The previous Manikato Stakes winning jockeys with a ride on Friday night are: Damian Browne (4-1-0-0) on #1 Buffering; Glyn Schofield (1-1-0-0) on #7 Japonisme; and dual champ Kerrin McEvoy (6-2-2-1) on #11 Capitalist

• Last year’s winning barrier (2) has produced just one winner (since 1983) and this year #1 Buffering is out to be the second
• The most successful Manikato Stakes barriers in that time with five wins each are 10 and 11; those gates are drawn this year by #3 Lucky Hussler (10) and #6 The Quarterback (11)
• Favourites have a gun recent record in the race with six wins in the past 10 years; #2 Chautauqua is this year’s favourite looking to continue the trend

• Mares have won three times in the past 10 years most recently with Sea Siren (2012); this year #10 English is the only mare taking on the boys in the Manikato
• Five-year-olds have won six of the past 11 editions of the race including back-to-back years; the only 5YO in the mix this year is #8 Fell Swoop ($12)
• Sepoy (2011) was the first three-year-old Manikato Stakes winner since Redoute’s Choice (1999); the 3YO out to buck the trend this year is #11 Capitalist  
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #11 Capitalist (57%) followed by #8 Fell Swoop (53%) and #2 Chautauqua (52%)
• The best Place Rate of the field belongs to #2 Chautauqua (87%) followed by #11 Capitalist (86%)
• All the horses have top records over the distance (1200m): #1 Buffering (35-12-6-5), #2 Chautauqua (15-7-6-1), #4 Under The Louvre (16-6-2-4), #3 Lucky Hussler (11-4-1-1), #6 The Quarterback (11-4-1-3), #8 Fell Swoop (6-4-1-0), #5 Rebel Dane (18-3-3-4), #7 Japonisme (10-3-0-4), #9 Holler (6-2-2-1), #11 Capitalist (4-2-1-1) and #10 English (4-1-1-1)

• The runners with the best Moonee Valley track record are: #1 Buffering (12-5-1-1), #2 Chautauqua (3-2-0-0), #4 Under The Louvre (4-2-0-1) and #9 Holler (3-2-1-0)
• Previous winners over the Track / Distance are: #1 Buffering (9-3-1-1), #4 Under The Louvre (4-2-0-1), #2 Chautauqua (1-1-0-0), #3 Lucky Hussler (3-1-0-1),
• #5 Rebel Dane ($41) is yet to win at Moonee Valley but from six runs over the track and distance he boasts three thirds making for a nice Place Bet @ Ladbrokes.com.au

Stay tuned for our insider 2016 Manikato Stakes betting tips to be published shortly.

In the meantime see below for the comprehensive form guide provided by Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Enhanced Odds (T&Cs apply).

2016 Manikato Stakes Form Guide