OAKLEIGH PLATE

HISTORY

* First run in 1884 when won by Malua who also won the Melbourne Cup that year

* From 1941 to 1944 inclusive it was run at Flemington. In 1996 it was run at Sandown

* Notable winners include: Malua (1884), Wakeful (1901), Aurie's Star (1937, 1939), San Domenico (1949), Time And Tide (1965), Dual Choice (1971, 1972), Tontonan (1974), Snippets (1988), Schillaci (1992), Fastnet Rock (2005), Lankan Rupee (2014)

* The last favourite to win was Lankan Rupee ($4, 2014).

TALKING POINTS

* A capacity field lines up under handicap conditions

* Bel Sprinter is topweight with 58kg. No winner has carried more than 57kg since the introduction of the metric weights in 1973

* Starspangledbanner (2010) is the last three-year-old to win. This year's three-year-olds are Earthquake, Eloping and Nostradamus.

PATTERN

* The speed should be right on with Eloping, Lord Of The Sky and I'm All The Talk in the leading division.

FANCIED RUNNERS

* Earthquake has an exceptional record at the track. Won last year's Blue Diamond Stakes. Nostradamus excels first-up.