The Group 1 $5 million Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (2400m) takes place this Saturday and the field of spring stayers likely to contest the mile and a half classic is all but confirmed.

Finche is a favourite in 2019 Caulfield Cup betting for trainer Chris Waller. Photo: Steve Hart.

The 2019 Caulfield Cup field has a capacity of 18 starters plus four emergencies and there is an eleventh hour bid on offer to Wednesday’s Group 3 Ladbrokes Coongy Cup winner to make the starting line-up in the Group 1.

Just two horses in the Coongy Cup field remain in Caulfield Cup contention with the Chris Waller-trained Yulong Prince and the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Wolfe in the mix.

A win by either in the Group 3 would see the Michael Moroney’s Sound pushed out of the confirmed Caulfield Cup runners into the spot of first emergency.

That result would then have the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained emergency Red Galileo out of the race as the final emergency, assuming all the eligible horses listed in the likely Caulfield Cup 2019 field below are paid up for at final acceptance stage.

Mirage Dancer looks set to carry the 56kg Caulfield Cup topweight this year, the well-bred Frankel entire to debut down under in the race with Ben Melham riding.

Trainer Chris Waller is vying for his first Caulfield Cup winner, the leading Sydney horseman looking set to saddle-up at least three runners in the event.

Waller has saddled-up 18 horses in the Caulfield Cup since 2010 with his best result being the fifth by Royal Descent in 2013.

This year the stable’s gun galloper Finche, fourth in last year’s Melbourne Cup, is a favourite in Caulfield Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Michael Walker will ride the Frankel six-year-old in the Caulfield Cup field with 54.5kg, the horse coming off a narrow second in Flemington’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).

The Turnbull Stakes was won by stablemate Kings Will Dream who has been announced as a non-acceptor.

The non-acceptance by Waller for Kings Will Dream paved the way for the imported Sound to gain a start.

The other notable Caulfield Cup non-acceptor is Richard Hannon’s last-start Ebor Handicap fourth placegetter Raymond Tusk going straight to the Group 1 $8 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) on the first Tuesday of November.

Challenging Finche for favouritism in Caulfield Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au is the Japanese raider Mer De Glace to be ridden by Damian Lane.

The 2019 Caulfield Cup field, barriers and jockeys will be confirmed on Wednesday afternoon.

Click here for the latest all-in Caulfield Cup odds.

Likely 2019 Caulfield Cup Field & Jockeys