The second of the final two Group 1 races for the Melbourne Cup Carnival is Saturday’s Darley Classic 2016, a full form guide and betting preview for the Flemington sprint showdown found below.

Due to jump as Flemington Race 8 at 5:00pm (AEDT) featuring a dozen sprinters, the $1 million Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) is a weight-for-age feature with betting this year wide open at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Four of the runners pay between $6 and $6.50 for the win giving the punters a hard time to sort out the winning chances in the Darley Classic odds.

Sharing current $6 co-favouritism are Manikato Stakes runner-up Fell Swoop and last start Caulfield Sprint winner Our Boy Malachi.

Hot on their heels at an equal $6.50 each for the win are five-time Group 1 champion Lankan Rupee and the autumn’s Newmarket Handicap winner at the track / distance The Quarterback.

That’s the story told by the bookies but what about the 2016 Darley Classic Form Guide, betting history and statistics?

2016 Darley Classic Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Darley Classic winner was the Chris Waller-trained Delectation (2015) who came off a Group 2 fourth at Flemington on Derby Day, jumped from barrier 8 (of 9) and had James McDonald aboard at odds of $13
• Chris Waller (4-1-0-0) returns chasing back-to-back wins as a trainer this year with #4 Japonisme ($15)
• The other previous Darley Classic winner trainers with a runner on Saturday are: John Hawkes (20-1-4-1) with #6 Our Boy Malachi ($6); David Hayes (10-2-0-0) with #9 Keen Array ($21) and #12 Sheidel ($14); and Gai Waterhouse (7-1-0-2) with #11 English ($13)
• James McDonald (3-1-0-0) returns chasing back-to-back wins as a jockey with #8 Holler ($26)
• The other previous Darley Classic winning jockeys with a ride on Saturday are: Craig Newitt (6-1-0-2) on #1 Lankan Rupee ($6.50); Hugh Bowman (6-1-0-1) on #5 Fell Swoop ($6); and Ben Melham (3-1-0-1) on #7 Malaguerra ($8)
• Last year’s winning barrier (8) has produced three Darley Classic winners (since 1983) and belongs on Saturday to #9 Keen Array

• The most successful Darley Classic barriers in that time producing four winners each are 6, 7 and 11 drawn this year by: #10 Speith (6), #1 Lankan Rupee (7) and #7 Malaguerra (11)
• Five last start winners have taken out the Darley Classic in the past decade
• The last start winners in the field this year are #6 Our Boy Malachi, #10 Speith and #12 Sheidel
• #6 Our Boy Malachi (Group 2 Caulfield Sprint, 1000m, Caulfield, 15/10/2016) is looking to be the first Darley Classic winner off a Caulfield lead-up since Ancient Song (2003)
• #10 Speith (Listed Tatt’s Lightning, 1100m, Randwick, 15/10/2016) is looking to be the first Darley Classic winner off a Sydney lead-up run since Alishan (1993)
• #12 Sheidel (Group 3 Begonia Belle Stakes, 1100m, Flemington, 29/10/2016) is looking to be the fourth Darley Classic winner off a Flemington lead-up in nine years
• Favourites have won four times in the past decade but none since Black Caviar went back-to-back in 2010-11
• There’s no clear favourite in Darley Classic betting this year but early markets have #6 Our Boy Malachi and #5 Fell Swoop at $6
• There’s been an even spread of age groups in the past 10 years of Darley Classic results but the only three-year-old to win (since 1983) was the filly Pharein (1999)
• No eight-year-olds have won in that time; on Saturday #6 Our Boy Malachi is out to be the first
• Only one seven-year old has won in that time; on Saturday #1 Lankan Rupee is out to be the next
• Mares have a strong recent record with five wins since 2003; the mares in the mix this year are: #11 English and #12 Sheidel

• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #6 Our Boy Malachi (73%) followed by #10 Spieth (63%) and #12 Sheidel (58%)
• The highest Place Rate of the field belongs to #6 Our Boy Malachi (85%) followed by #12 Sheidel (79%) and #5 Fell Swoop (78%)

• The horses with the best record at the distance (1200m) are: #6 Our Boy Malachi (8-5-1-1); #1 Lankan Rupee (11-4-1-2); #3 The Quarterback (12-4-1-3); #5 Fell Swoop (7-4-2-0); #7 Malaguerra (6-4-1-0); #9 Keen Array (9-4-2-1); #12 Sheidel (6-4-1-0); #4 Japonisme (11-3-0-5); #8 Holler (7-2-2-1) and #10 Speith (4-2-1-0)
• The horses with the best record at the Flemington track are: #3 The Quarterback (12-5-0-4); #1 Lankan Rupee (8-3-1-1); #7 Malaguerra (5-3-0-0); and #2 Turn Me Loose (2-1-1-0)

Stay tuned for our exclusive 2016 Darley Classic Betting Tips, checking out the race form guide below provided by Ladbrokes.com.au in the meantime.