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Two of the nation’s most popular and highly-rated horses return at Royal Randwick this Saturday on a huge card of Group racing as Australian Turf Club hosts City Tattersalls Club Cup Day two weeks from the official start of a record-breaking Sydney Everest Carnival.

TAB Everest runner Eduardo in the Group 3 $500,000 Southern Cross Group Concorde Stakes and Zaaki in the Group 2 $250,000 GPI Tramway Stakes begin Spring Carnival campaigns as crowd and TAB favourites.

The Group 2 $250,000 Daily Press Chelmsford Stakes, the second leg of the Darley Princess Series in the Group 2 $250,000 Darley Furious Stakes and the Listed $160,000 YLC City Tattersalls Club Cup are other features on the 10-race card.

Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager of Racing and Wagering, James Ross said Saturday’s meeting – on the first weekend of spring – marked an important prelude to the start of the record $66 million Sydney Everest Carnival later this month.

Masked Crusader (Tommy Berry) cruises home at Royal Randwick. Image by Steve Hart Photographics

“This day marks the return of many stars of the spring highlighted by high-quality horses such as Eduardo and Zaaki among many others, and it starts several months of world-class racing in Sydney," Mr Ross said.

“The Southern Cross Concorde Stakes features a number of likely TAB Everest contenders and is headlined by Eduardo and Masked Crusader, who take on a very strong field and in a race that opens a series of six sprint features across the coming months, offering $6 million in bonus to the overall series winner.

“The 127th Daily Press Chelmsford Stakes has attracted a very strong field across the 15 runners, whilst the Darley Furious Stakes continues to attract the very best three-year-old fillies as they continue their progression to the Group 1 Darley Flight Stakes.

“The new position of the City Tattersalls Club Cup on this day is significant in adding a pathway for stayers towards the Heineken Metropolitan and other staying features.

“We welcome this continued partnership with City Tattersalls Club which remains as one of the Australian Turf Club’s longest standing partners."

Full fields for Saturday’s Royal Randwick meeting can be found here and full TAB Fixed Odds markets for all races here

Eduardo is first-up from a spell for Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride and regular jockey Nash Rawiller and has opened a $2.40-$2.15 TAB favourite in a cracking edition of the Group 3 $500,000 Southern Cross Concorde Stakes.

Eduardo has won four races and run four places from nine first-up starts and at Royal Randwick over the 1000m has won three times from four attempts. Both Redzel (2018) and Nature Strip (2021) won the Concorde Stakes before winning the TAB Everest in those years.

Andermatt for Godolphin head trainer James Cummings and champion jockey James McDonald is a $6-$4.40 second favourite ahead of an easing Malkovich ($4.40-$5.50) for Bjorn Baker and Rachel King.

Masked Crusader – preparing to run in a second consecutive TAB Everest after last year’s second placing – is $7-$7.50 for Hawkes Racing and jockey William Pike this Saturday.

Zaaki has been heavily backed in early TAB Fixed Odds betting ($2.10-$1.80) for trainer Annabel Neasham and James McDonald as the horse aims for consecutive GPI Tramway Stakes victories. Zaaki has either won (eight times) or been placed (four times) in his last 12 starts.

Second TAB favourite is Converge for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott ($5-$5.50) and jockey Tim Clark who has ridden the horse in seven of past eight starts, including two Group 1 victories.

Profondo – who was a dual acceptor but already scratched from the Daily Press Chelmsford Stakes – is a third TAB favourite ($5.50-$6.50) for trainer Richard Litt and jockey Brenton Avdulla.

In the Group 2 Darley Furious Stakes, James Cummings and James McDonald combine with the early TAB favourite In Secret ($3.10-$3.40) ahead of Paris Dior ($5) for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden and jockey Brenton Avdulla.

James McDonald rides another well-backed early TAB favourite in Surefire ($4.10-$3.70) for trainer Chris Waller in the Group 2 Daily Press Chelmsford Stakes. Waller is aiming to win a remarkable seventh Chelmsford Stakes since 2012.

City Tattersalls first conducted a meeting at Royal Randwick in 1900 and this Saturday almost 700 people will join in celebration at a sold-out function in the Royal Randwick Ballroom, continuing one of Sydney’s longest traditions.

Futures markets for a range of Sydney Everest carnival Group 1 races and other features can be found here.

Australian Turf Club is offering a Punters Pack special at theraces.com.au – with a $39 ticket ($60 value) which includes general admission entry, two Furphy beverage vouchers, a $10 food voucher and a racebook.

For all racing, hospitality, general and full ticketing information for Saturday and upcoming racedays across the Sydney Everest Carnival visit theraces.com.au