Punters have rallied to Chautauqua in the Newmarket Handicap and his jockey believes he is up for the challenge.

Dwayne Dunn rides Chautauqua who is favourite for Saturday's time honoured race down the 1200m straight course at Flemington where his opposition will include Lankan Rupee and Terravista who ended 2014 as the world's joint highest-rated sprinters.

Chautauqua was third in the sprint rankings after splitting Terravista and Lankan Rupee when second in the Group One Darley Classic at weight-for-age in the spring.

While Chautauqua gets his second chance at an elite win on Saturday, five-time Group One winner and defending champion Lankan Rupee will be out to equal the modern day weight carrying record of 58.5kg in the Newmarket, set by Hay List when he won in 2012.

An impressive winner of the Lightning Stakes first-up, Lankan Rupee has 3kg more than Chautauqua and 2kg more than Terravista who will strive to become the first horse in almost 100 years to win the Newmarket first-up.

"I'm looking forward to it. This is a real match race now, isn't it?" Dunn said.

"Three kingpin horses clash and someone is going to come out a victor.

"Lankan Rupee was awesome the other day so you've got to respect him.

"We do meet them (Lankan Rupee and Terravista) a bit better at the weights from the Darley Classic but they have done it and he hasn't quite done it yet, so he deserves a little bit of a bonus for not being a Group One winner yet. But it's only a matter of time."

Chautauqua showed he was on target for the Newmarket showdown when he flashed home from an awkward position early in the straight to win the Group Two Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.

"He wasn't ready the other day and he overcame adversity and was still good enough to win," Dunn said.

"He had another jump-out on Friday, so he's had that race and a jump-out for fitness so he should be ready to go on Saturday."

Chautauqua is at $2.80 ahead of Lankan Rupee at $3.40 with acceptances to be taken on Wednesday.

Terravista is at $5.50, while Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Brazen Beau is also considered a threat with 52kg and is on the third line at $5.

Three-year-old Brazen Beau, to be ridden by Joao Moreira, was beaten 2-3/4 lengths by Lankan Rupee in the Lightning Stakes but meets him 3.5kg better.