The first of the three Sydney Spring Racing Carnival majors taking place at Royal Randwick this Saturday is the day’s marquee race, the Epsom Handicap 2015 form guide and betting preview detailed below.

Running as Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEST) on Saturday afternoon, this year’s $1 million Group 1 The Star Epsom Handicap (1600m) is the 150^th edition of the mile classic and features a final field of 15.

In the latest Epsom Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, who are offering Cash Back up to $100 if your horse runs 2^nd or 3^rd in the race, there are four single figure fancies led by the Chris Waller-trained mare Winx.

Despite a wide draw the bookies are taking no chances with the Street Cry four-year-old who has solid form at Randwick (5-1-3-0) and was brilliant first-up at Rosehill winning the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) from out wide, the step up in distance to suit.

Her biggest dangers are considered to be stablemate Sadler’s Lake ($7.50) shooting for his third win on the trot from a gun barrier three draw after a last start win in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at the track, Kris Lees’ multiple Group 1 winning mare Lucia Valentina ($8.50) high up in the weights with 57.5kg and Waller’s last start Kingston Town Stakes winning seven-year-old Silverball ($9.50).

That’s the story the bookies are telling but what about the Epsom Handicap form guide, betting history and betting statistics?

2015 Epsom Handicap Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Epsom Handicap winner was the Chris Waller-trained He’s Your Man who came off a win in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes and carried 52.5kg to victory from barrier 10 (of 15) with Joao Moreira in the saddle
• Waller also won in 2013 with Boban, another winner from barrier 10, and has three chances of making it a hat trick this spring with: #4 Winx ($2.90), #7 Silverball ($9.50) and #11 Sadler’s Lake ($7.50)
• All three of Waller’s runners come off a last start victory including Silverball who is after the same Kingston Town Stakes – Epsom Handicap double achieved by stablemate He’s Your Man (2014) 12 months ago

• Along with Waller the other former Epsom Handicap winning trainers with a runner this year are: John Hawkes (33-1-0-4) who trains #3 Entirely Platinum ($10) and #5 Messene ($21) in partnership with sons Michael and Wayne, John O’Shea (5-1-0-0) with #10 Sweynesse ($17) and #13 Malice ($71), and the race’s most successful trainer Gai Waterhouse (48-7-6-4) represented by #8 Ecuador ($26)
• Barrier 10 has produced the past two winners, and three in total since 1983, and belongs this year to #9 Kirramosa ($17)
• The most successful Epsom barriers in that time with four wins each are seven and eight drawn on Saturday by #8 Ecuador (7) and #5 Messene (8) respectively
• Last year’s winning hoop Joao Moreira (2-1-0-0) is back looking for another win aboard #13 Malice from the inside alley
• Other former Epsom Handicap winning jockeys with a ride this spring are: Glen Boss (12-3-1-0) shooting for his fourth trophy aboard #8 Ecuador, Jim Cassidy (22-1-3-0) on #11 Sadler’s Lake, Zac Purton (4-1-0-0) on #2 Lucia Valentina, Tommy Berry (4-1-0-1) on #3 Entirely Platinum, Brenton Avdulla (4-1-0-0) on #7 Silverball, Blake Shinn (4-1-0-1) on #9 Kirramosa and Glyn Schofield (6-1-0-1) on #15 Pressing

• Favourites only have a fair recent record in the Epsom Handicap with two winning in the past 10 years: Racing To Win (8/11 in 2006) and Fat Al (7/2 in 2012)
• This year #4 Winx is out to be the next favourite to salute for the punters
• Mares have a poor record in the past 10 years with just one win from Secret irer (2011)
• Along with the top fancy Winx the other mares in the mix this year are: #2 Lucia Valentina and #9 Kirramosa
• Four-year-olds have the best recent record with six winning in the past 10 years and the 4YOs in the mix on Saturday are: #4 Winx, #10 Sweynesse, #11 Sadler’s Lake and #15 Pressing
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #4 Winx (54%) followed by #11 Sadler’s Lake (50%) and #5 Messene (45%)
• The best Place Rate also belongs to #4 Winx (77%) followed by #8 Ecuado (72%), #12 Sons Of John (71%) and #5 Messene (70%)
• Horses with the best record over the distance (1600m) are: #5 Messene (6-4-0-0), #6 Rudy (6-4-0-1), #7 Silverball (7-4-1-0), #8 Ecuador (5-2-2-0), #11 Sadler’s Lake (3-2-1-0), #12 Sons Of John (5-2-0-0), #3 Entirely Platinum (5-1-1-2) and #4 Winx (2-1-1-0)

• Horses with the best track record at Randwick are: #11 Sadler’s Lake (5-3-1-0), #12 Sons Of John (3-2-0-0), #4 Winx (5-1-3-0), #5 Messene (5-1-1-1) and #6 Rudy (4-1-1-1)

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for our insider Epsom Handicap 2015 tips to be published shortly.

In the meantime head to Ladbrokes.com.au and get ready to take advantage of their Cash Back offer up to $100 if your Epsom Handicap selection runs second or third on the weekend!

2015 Epsom Handicap Form Guide