The Caulfield Stakes is a weight-for-age contest held during the Melbourne Spring Carnival at Caulfield.

Worth $1 million, the 2000m feature has become an international fixture with past winners including Benbatl, Gailo Chop and Winx.

The field for the 2019 Caulfield Stakes won’t be confirmed until October 9 when RISA releases the final field, barrier draw and weights.

The Caulfield Stakes field consists of 18 runners and four emergency runners in case of scratchings. The field is determined by prize money, class and various other handicapping factors.

With the Caulfield Stakes being run in early October, there isn’t much recent form for punters to sort through, but it’s a great form guide for later in the spring.

The Caulfield Stakes is a major lead-up race for the Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup. The distance of 2000m sits perfectly for those wanting to run 2040m around Moonee Valley a fortnight later and those wanting to run 2400m in the Caulfield Cup.

It’s a truly international race now, with runners coming over from Europe to compete before tackling the longer distances.

2018 winner Benbatl scored a win in the Caulfield Stakes before pushing Winx close in the 2018 Cox Plate.

Punters should look at the horses weighted up the order as the trend has swung in favour of the older horses.

Punters can livestream the Caulfield Stakes at Beteasy. The Australian-based bookmaker shows all Australian and New Zealand racing live and all you need to do is have a positive account balance.

To live stream the 2019 Caulfield Stakes, sign up with Beteasy.

Below are the dates, times and betting schedule for the Caulfield Stakes and the nine supporting races on the big card.

The Caulfield Stakes is one of 10 quality betting races, which also includes the Group 1 Toorak Handicap, Thousand Guineas and Caulfield Guineas.

The Caulfield Stakes isn’t one of the most popular races by name, but it’s certainly one of the most important races during the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Past winners of the Caulfield Stakes is arguably the best list in Australian racing. Past winners include Winx, So You Think, Lonhro, Northerly, Might And Power, Rough Habit, Naturalism, Bonecrusher and Kingston Town.

It’s one of the best form guides for future racing and Australia and New Zealand’s very best thoroughbreds have taken out the 2000m race.

First run in 1886 when Isonomy was victorious, the Caulfield Stakes has grown in stature and has had a few name changes along the way. It was formerly called the Yalumba Stakes from 1997-2010 and is currently named the Ladbrokes Stakes, but still races under the name of Caulfield Stakes.

Many runners have gone on to compete in the Cox Plate, which is run two weeks later and the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November.

Nine horses have completed the Caulfield Stakes/Cox Plate double, most notably Rising Fast, Bonecrusher and Winx.