If the Liston Stakes is any guide, last season's three-year-olds look set to prove themselves a bumper crop.Trainer Leon Macdonald is among those who believe this year's four-year-olds can dominate the major races including his Melbourne Cup contender Rebel Raider who begins his campaign in Adelaide on Saturday.Predatory Pricer won Saturday's weight-for-age Liston from Whobegotyou and Typhoon Tracy with Heart Of Dreams fourth.Whobegotyou, Typhoon Tracy and Heart Of Dreams all won Group One races
If the Liston Stakes is any guide, last season's three-year-olds look set to prove themselves a bumper crop.
Trainer Leon Macdonald is among those who believe this year's four-year-olds can dominate the major races including his Melbourne Cup contender Rebel Raider who begins his campaign in Adelaide on Saturday.
Predatory Pricer won Saturday's weight-for-age Liston from Whobegotyou and Typhoon Tracy with Heart Of Dreams fourth.
Whobegotyou, Typhoon Tracy and Heart Of Dreams all won Group One races in 2008-09 while Predatory Pricer was runner-up in the Spring Champion Stakes.
Dual Derby winner Rebel Raider may not be able to match it with those horses over the shorter weight-for-age races but Macdonald is more than happy going into the Penny Edition (1400m) at Morphettville.
"I'm thinking Rebel Raider is truly a handicapper and I know he is a genuine stayer," Macdonald said.
"But the Penny Edition is not a strong weight-for-age race like the Liston so I expect him to perform very well.
"He has won first-up before. I'm not saying he can definitely do it again but he is ready to race.
"Looking at the result of the Liston, it shows that the first four were among the best three-year-olds of last season.
"And Mic Mac won the week before."
There were 16 entries for the Listed Penny Edition including Midnight Mustang who is also nominated for two races in Sydney - the Warwick Stakes (1400m) and the Show County Quality (1200m).
The Group Two Warwick Stakes will be the starting point for another of last season's three-year-old stars with Metal Bender set to make his return.
The Jack Denham-trained gelding won the Randwick and Rosehill Guineas and ran second in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes after finishing out of the placings in the AJC Australian Derby.
Macdonald halted Rebel Raider's autumn campaign before the Derby and took the out-of-form colt home to Adelaide.
He bounced back to add the South Australian Derby to his spring triumph in the Victoria Derby and was installed favourite for the Melbourne Cup.
In recent weeks, Irish mare Profound Beauty has assumed the top position courtesy of her three successive wins.
TAB Sportsbet has Profound Beauty at $13 for the Melbourne Cup ahead of C'est La Guerre at $15 with the next group, including the past two winners Efficient and Viewed and Rebel Raider, at $17.
After the Penny Edition, Rebel Raider will head to Melbourne for the Group Two Makybe Diva (1600m) at Flemington on September 5, the Group One Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield two weeks later and the Group One Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3.
If he proves himself at weight-for-age, the Cox Plate is an option but he is more likely to run in the Caulfield Cup.
Predatory Pricer is the $7.50 favourite for the Caulfield Cup following his Liston win with Rebel Raider a $21 chance.