The official 2017 Caulfield Cup field is now out with just 17 starters in the mile and a half classic after the withdrawal of Japanese import Admire Deus.

Humidor carries 56kg top weight in Saturday’s under-capacity Caulfield Cup 2017 field. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The first leg of the coveted Spring Cups double, the Group 1 $3 million BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) steals the show in Melbourne on Saturday and is an open affair.

For just the second time since 2008 the Caulfield Cup field will run under the capacity 18 starters with news on Tuesday morning that the Darren Weir-trained Admire Dues had broken down in a track gallop and would not race this spring.

Weir is still dually represented in the Caulfield Cup field with the 56kg top weight Humidor and Amelie’s Star at the opposite end of the weight scale in on just 51kg.

Damian Lane retains the ride on flying Teofilo gelding Humidor, the five-year-old coming off two very good Flemington runs.

Two back he won the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) before the brave third to Winx in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on October 7.

Yet to win over further than 2000m, Humidor is out to extend his brilliance to 2400m this weekend, but will need to be improving giving the weight away to his rivals.

Craig Williams meanwhile looked in danger of missing out on a Caulfield Cup ride having been booked to ride Admire Dues, but has picked up the mount on Weir’s Testa Rossa mare Amelie’s Star.

Williams rode Southern Speed (2011) and Dunaden (2012) for their respective Caulfield Cup victories and partners Amelie’s Star for the first time on Saturday, the mare coming off a two length victory at Flemington in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m).

Leading the latest Caulfield Cup odds is one of the three international raiders in the field, Irish galloper Johannes Vermeer prepared by Aidan O’Brien.

Ben Melham rides the Galileo stallion second-up this weekend with Johannes Vermeer having put the writing on the wall just last Saturday with a brave second in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Stakes (2000m).

The five-year-old is well-weighted with 54.5kg and is out to be the second Caulfield Cup winner in three years to back up off a Ladbrokes Stakes run after Mongolian Khan (2^nd in 2015).

Mongolian Khan was a Kiwi raider prepared by Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman who have two livewire chances to secure another Caulfield Cup trophy this weekend.

One-time Caulfield Cup favourite Bonneval and the stable’s ATC Derby winner from the autumn Jon Snow face off in the mile and a half feature to be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy and Stephen Baster respectively.

Bonneval won six starts on the trot including the NZ Oaks – ATC Oaks double as a filly last season, before her disappointing sixth in the Ladbrokes Stakes as the beaten favourite.

She won two earlier spring starts in Melbourne, including the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (2000m), and is undefeated over the Caulfield Cup distance (2-2-0-0).

Bonneval also drops from 56kg in the Ladbrokes Stakes to 52.5kg this weekend looking to go back-to-back for the mares after the success of Jameka (2016), while McEvoy chases his first Caulfield Cup victory since All The Good (2008).

Jon Snow is also a Ladbrokes Stakes graduate looking to frank the form in the Caulfield Cup, the Iffraaj stallion having finished third carrying 58kg and the four-year-old drops to 54.5kg on Saturday.

Along with the favourite Johannes Vermeer the other international Caulfield Cup horses in 2017 are Hugh Bowman’s mount Marmelo (55kg) and the William Mullins-trained Wicklow Brave (54kg).

Lord Fandango meanwhile is the lightweight in the mix with just 50kg, apprentice Ben Allen to ride the German import after the stallion earned a Caulfield Cup start with victory in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at the track / distance over the weekend.

Check out the completed Caulfield Cup 2017 field below, the official barrier draw to be conducted from 5pm (AEDT) along with updated odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 Caulfield Cup Final Field

Caulfield Racecourse – 21/10/2017