The reason there’s so much anticipation ahead of the Apollo Stakes, and the reason there’s going to be so much attention from all around the world focussed on Randwick at the weekend is thanks to a genuinely star-studded group of horses who will compete for the plaudits in the Apollo Stakes. There’s quality throughout the field, in fact, which is reflected in the Racing odds we’re seeing – there are nine horses at odds shorter than $20, so this one looks full of potential for the punter who’s prepared to back their gut. The favourite tag is shared by He’s Your Man and Contributer, but there’s horses with a real chance of winning it close behind them. According to Sportsbet’s Shaun Anderson: ‘most of these horses are starting their campaign for The Championships, so it’s hard to get a line on them. Weary has the fitness edge, but He’s Your Man, Contributor and Lucia Valentina have all trialled well, which makes it tough for punters.’

So with the added dimension of wanting to see how these high-profile horses are going to shape up for the big races to come, you can see why there are so many punters and pundits looking forward to the Apollo Stakes. Make sure you see the race if you can, but where’s you money for this one?

It was an impressive barrier trial back in October that first drew attention to Paceman, and you get the feeling that he’s been building up to this Autumn Campaign since the moments immediately after that race. Certainly he was straight back to the spelling paddock, and he’s been carefully prepared for the Silver Slipper in a couple of weekends’ time. Beyond that, you would think that trainer Paul Snowden will want a matching slipper for his talented prospect, but this one in gold – the Golden Slipper on March 21st is the most likely target for Paceman, especially if things go well at Rosehill. Snowden sees no reason why they shouldn’t: ‘he is super. He did his main work this time in on Thursday and Hughie Bowman rode him and he gave him a fantastic feel. He really likes him and what he did was effortless. He has still got to improve, he has only won one race at the moment, and he needs to build on that and hopefully we can see that when he steps out.’

So, the inevitable excitement of a trainer who has a prospect on his hands aside, Paceman looks like he could be one to watch. Make sure you’ve got all the Racing odds for the Silver Slipper by clicking the link there – and look out for him, too, in the Golden Slipper in March: he’s at odds of $13.00 at the moment, but there’s plenty of time for that to change…

He might have opened at $12, but that’s shortened down to odds of $6.50 after a swell of support for the 2-year-old on the back of an impressive trial in the second week of January. Trainer Tom Dabernig likes him for the Chairman Stakes, he says, and expects to see a decent run from him, but he’s looking beyond today’s race, as well: ‘More Than Most is a horse that has ability. Whether the 1000 metres first-up is a little sharp is the question, but he is a horse with nice ability for people to follow into the future. I think that he will run well. More Than Most will run well in a 1000, but I think you will see the best of him with a run or two under his belt. We will learn a lot out of the race, but he is a horse that has just impressed us all the way through and we look forward to seeing him at the track.’

A good barometer for the progress of More Than Most will be how he goes against stablemate Haybah, according to Dabernig, especially since the bar’s likely to be set quite high: ‘Haybah is in excellent form and she has had the benefit of all the race experience. She puts herself right on the pace and she boxes on very solidly. Her form is excellent.’ So watch the Racing odds for these two in the Chairman Stakes this afternoon – and look out for them in the future, too…

Especially when you consider that he has the backing of trainer Paul Snowden, who’s confident that Diamond Valores can turn in a good run, and continue on the impressive course he’s already charting: ‘he is a really improving type of staying horse. To get as far as we did with him last time was just a bonus and he has certainly grown and matured into a lovely staying horse. He has proved before that he can sprint well fresh and he is up to a trip where he can do so. I know that it is only a small field, which might be a little bit tactical, but he has been working quiet sharp at home and his trial suggests he is very fresh in himself. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him run well.’

There might even be a feeling that you could see Diamond Valores come home to win it – he’s shown a willingness to run different kinds of races, and that versatility could see him in good stead, says Snowden: ‘I think that he has drawn the outside and he is probably going to be dictated to by a few others as to where he sits in the run. He is more of a staying type and he is probably going to be in the back half of the field, but if he gets any chance and gets a nice cart into the race I am sure that he can finish off.’

So make sure you’ve see all the Racing odds for Diamond Valores, who definitely going to be one to watch for the future, and could well be a real chance in today’s Eskimo Prince Stakes…

It’s not until April, but the Doncaster Mile is already seeing a little bit of a Japanese connection that will no doubt collect more headlines between now and then. Able Friend is rated by many as the world’s best miler, and is currently installed as the favourite for the Doncaster Mile on Sportsbet, with odds of $6.00 beside his name, even though he’s far from confirmed in the race. Look out, too, for Real Impact and World Ace, who are $17.00 and $21.00 at the moment.

Elsewhere, look out for To The World in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes – he’s currently sitting at odds of $6.00 along with Adelaide. According to online betting site Sportsbet: ‘history shows just how good Japanese horses are in Australian conditions. Able Friend is an out and out superstar of the turf and should shorten if and when connections confirm he’ll be joining the other four Japanese runners.’ Obviously we’ll bring you more news and Racing odds as we see them: we’re expecting to see some quality Japanese horses in the mix…

The Blue Diamond Fillies Preview will be a fifth start for Haybah, and she registered her first win a few weeks back, at Ballarat in the Evergreen Turk Plate, and trainer Tom Dabernig will feel like he’s got lots more options for her if she can put in a similarly-polished performance, and place high: ‘I thought it was a good win at Ballarat. She has drawn barrier one so she will get the fence again, she is a fast filly and Stephen Baster rides those sort of two-year-olds well. She has the benefit of plenty of racing and she will know what to do under pressure. I think that if she can be placed in this and get a little bit of black type that would be an ideal result.’

We’ll be bringing you any news we see about Haybah, of course, and we’ve always got all the Racing odds you need at the other end of the link there, so check back in with us when you can!

But we did spot last year’s Blue Diamond Stake winner in the news this week, and we thought you might like to keep an eye on Earthquake, too. The John O’Shea-trained 3-year-old doesn’t look set for a re-appearance in the race that she won handily last year, but instead looks set for a tilt at the Oakleigh Plate next month as the opening salvo of her Autumn campaign. Past that, Godolphin Racing Manager Jason Walsh has some options available for Earthquake, he told the press: ‘her main target is the Robert Sangster (Sportingbet Classic) in Adelaide which looks a race that she’ll probably be very hard to beat in. Obviously that’s not until the back end of the Autumn so we think she should be well treated in an Oakleigh Plate under handicap conditions and Caulfield suits her. The Newmarket Handicap (1200) could also be an option, she ran quite well in the Coolmore (Stud Stakes) with things against her so we’d have no hesitation going back down the straight with her.’

So last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner won’t be involved in the 2015 edition of the race, but that’s not to say she won’t be worth watching out for in those Racing odds for the Autumn campaign. In the meantime, we’ll be bringing you news as we get it ahead of the Blue Diamond Stakes at the end of February, so check back regularly…

Ivanhowe is the newest addition to the stables of Lee and Anthony Freedman, who’ve followed a tried-and-tested method: this is a horse who has seen success in Europe, and whose form gives every indication that he’s likely to clean up in the Group Ones here in Australia. Certainly, the folks at Sportsbet seem to think that Ivanhowe’s going to be a good purchase – here’s their own Christian Jantzen: ‘the Freedmans have big plans for Ivanhowe and it’s not hard to see why. The five-year-old has won 5 of his 10 starts and has competed in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Japan Cup.’ They’ve got him at odds of $11.00 to win it, too – behind Protectionist at $7.00, and the joint favourites, both at $6.00, Adelaide and To The World.

So we’ll be keeping an eye out for the name Ivanhowe and bringing you all the news in these pages as we get it. Of course, we’ll also have all the Racing odds you need, and all you need to do is click the link!

The Levin Classic, on the other hand, looks like it might be wide open. The favourite at this stage on Sportsbet is Sardaaj, with odds of $2.10, but there are four other horses who might catch your eye when you click this link through to those Racing odds. Huka Eagle is sitting on odds of $4.20, while you’ll get odds of $6.00 for Kolonel Kev, and both Taken the Liberty and Prince Mambo are $7.50 bets as of right now.

Whatever happens, it has the look of a Levin Classic that will be a thriller to watch, and any one of those horses could come through to win it. The betting has been spilt between them, and there isn’t any indication that one of them has been much better backed. It’s up to you to pick the winner, then, or you could just settle yourself down and watch what could be a compelling race!

According to the good folk at Sportsbet, it’s the favourite Soubrettes who’s seeing most of the support at this stage, with no shortage of backers behind her. According to Shaun Anderson at Sportsbet: ‘it’s been one-way traffic for Soubrettes. She’s won four of her five starts and was impressive at Group 3 level last start and is definitely the one to beat.’ She won’t be without competition on Saturday, of course, and both Tomorrowland and Natuzzi could easily claim the plaudits – they’re both sitting on odds of $6.50 where the favourite Soubrettes is a $4.50 bet. Elsewhere, there might be value in In Style at $8.50, and the Racing odds for the rest of the field are waiting for you at the end of that there link.

We’ll be looking more closely at the odds and the prospects for the Levin Classic, also on Saturday, in these pages in the next day or so, so make sure you check back in with us soon!