Montefilia is tipped to return to winning form with the now Waller-trained mare the firming favourite in Hill Stakes 2023 betting for Sydney on Saturday.

Montefilia is tipped to return to winning form in the $2 million Hill Stakes 2023 this weekend at Rosehill. Photo: Steve Hart.

A bumper line-up of potential Spring Cups-bound horses will face off in the Group 2 $2 million Hill Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens including four from the race’s five-time winning trainer Chris Waller.

Waller’s latest Hill Stakes victory was in 2020 with Kolding and the master horseman plays a very strong hand again this spring including saddling-up the $3.60 top elect through Ladbrokes.com.au Montefilia.

The six-year-old daughter of Kermadec, formerly with David Payne, has had three starts with the Waller camp including an eye-catching third to Just Fine in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) on September 16.

Spruik stayer Just Fine franked the form with his Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) win at Randwick last start which bodes well for Montefilia who won the same Group 1 race back in 2021 during her peak form.

She is out to recapture that this weekend fourth-up and fit and atone for her third as the beaten favourite behind Cascadian in last year’s Hill Stakes results.

The other Waller-trained Hill Stakes hopefuls this season are Magical Lagoon ($51), No Compromise ($35), and another Group 1 winning mare in Hinged ($11) to be ridden by Brett Prebble from gate five.

Three other runners are currently under double-figures to win the lucrative $2 million showdown including the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained market mover Hoo Ya Mal ($5).

The in-form Adam Hyeronimus rides the Territories five-year-old for the third time this prep with the pair making up ground late to cross three lengths back seventh to Think It Over in the $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) last time out.

Hoo Ya Mal is a previous Group 1 place-getter and Melbourne Cup performer who will appreciate stepping up in distance here and is sure to be in the finish late.

The rails-drawn Protagonist ($7) for Kris Lees who ran fourth in the Kingston Town Stakes last start and the Team Hawkes-trained Zeyrek ($8.50) bringing in some strong form lines are the other main dangers according to the bookies.

The 2023 Petaluma Hill Stakes runs as Rosehill Race 7 at 4:10pm (AEDT) on the 10-race card in Sydney on Saturday with full markets available by clicking here courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2023 Hill Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Table Credit: Racing Australia.