Chris Waller’s Group 1 winner Japonisme is accepted to carry top weight in the last on Chelmsford Stakes Day with a Concorde Stakes 2016 return at Royal Randwick Racecourse.

Japonisme steps out as a four-year-old for the first time in the 2016 Concorde Stakes at Randwick Racecourse on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

Closing the card in Sydney on Saturday as Randwick Race 9 at 5:10pm (AEST), the $125,000 Group 3 James Boag’s Premium Concorde Stakes (1000m) features a final field of 12 short-distance specialists.

The set weights plus penalties sprint field is headlined by last spring’s Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Japonisme who gives the weight away with 60kg first-up on the weekend.

Hugh Bowman has the ride on the now four-year-old son of Choisir from gate eight, the gelding last seen running third to Malaguerra in the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m).

That followed his win in the Group 2 Arrowfield 3YO Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in early April, a track Japonisme returns to this weekend after back-to-bac August trials at the course including a second to English over 850m last hit-out.

The other highest-weighted runner in this season’s Concorde Stakes field with 59kg is the Gerald Ryan-trained Kinglike who also makes his four-year-old debut in the race.

Kerrin McEvoy has the ride from a barrier 10 draw, Exceed And Excel stallion Kinglike last seen running fourth to Japonisme when defeated under a length in the Arrowfield back during Sydney’s ‘The Championships’.

His last win was in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight in September last year, and he has a solid first-up record of a win and two seconds from three runs to date.

Another standout returning runner in the mix is the John O’Shea-trained Medaglia D’Oro gelding Federal.

Last time out the galloper ran second to Spill The Beans at Eagle Farm in the Group 2 QTC Cup (1300m) on June 11.

He will be better suited to more metres later this campaign not having won over less than 1200m to date, but the five-year-old has won two-from-three at Randwick and two-from-four first-up so is a livewire place chance.

O’Shea and the Godolphin stable are also represented in the Concorde this year by Sarajevo in barrier four with Brenton Avdulla aboard.

After a flat summer campaign at the start of the year, the Lonhro gelding was given a lengthy spell and returned with a smart second over 1100m at Rosehill defeated a nose on August 13.

He overcame barrier 12 of 12 for that Benchmark 92 placing and should have improved off the run, the better barrier and drop in weight to suit second-up on Saturday.

Also with the fitness edge is the Barry Lockwood-trained Brisbane raider Hidden Pearls who comes off back-to-back wins.

Apprentice Bridget Grylls is in the saddle from a good gate two draw on 54kg this weekend, Lockwood’s Hidden Dragon mare having carried 57kg and 59kg respectively to victory over 1000m at Eagle Farm this month.

The latest win as the odds-on favourite at home over the same distance as the Concorde Stakes was by an impressive two lengths, the six-year-old earning her shot at the tougher Sydney line-up on the weekend.

See below for the full Concorde Stakes 2016 field, barriers, jockeys and weights then back your selections at the right price online through Ladbrokes.com.au.

2016 Concorde Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Randwick Race 9 (5:10pm) – 03/09/2016