The 2015 Adelaide Cup form guide is crucial reading for punters looking to find the winner of the Group 2 event that will be held at Morphettville this afternoon.

The 2015 edition of the Adelaide Cup has far from the strongest field in the history of the event, but there are a number of winning chances in what should still be an exciting race and our team of horse racing experts have complied all the information that you need to know about every horse in the field.

1. Taiyoo (59kg)

Taiyoo has won seven of his past eight starts and is a deserving Adelaide Cup favourite. He looked like he was going to be beaten in the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m), but he fought back after being headed by Lucky Lucky Lucky to record a tough win. The step-up to 3200 metres is the major concern, but he will prove tough to beat if he is able to run out the trip strongly.

2. Pelicano (57kg)

At his best Pelicano is the class horse in this field, but he has been unable to find his best form since he returned to racing in December. He was under pressure a long way from home in both the Hobart Cup and Launceston Cup, but he was still able to fight on gamely. The step-up to 3200 metres might be what he needs to return to his best.

3. Renew (55kg)

Renew was set for this race at the start of his preparation and he looks like the horse to beat. He was not overly impressive in either the Doriemus Handicap (2000m) at Flemington on January 31 or the Listed Moonee Valley Night Cup (2500m) on February 20, but he is a genuine stayer who will relish the step-up to 3200 metres. He beat a stronger field than this to win the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and if he is able to replicate that performance he should be too strong for his rivals.

4. Tanby (53kg)

Tanby has not recorded a race win since he took out the 2012 edition of the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m), but he has performed fairly without winning since he joined the stable of Mick Cerchi in 2014 after previously being owned by Lloyd Williams. This is the lowest weight that he has carried since 2011 and it would not surprise if he was in the race for a long way.

5. Lucky Lucky Lucky (53kg)

Lucky Lucky Lucky has thrived since joining the stable of Tony McEvoy and is a genuine winning chance in the Adelaide Cup. He made his debut for his new trainer with a win in the Rain Lover Plate at Morphettville Parks on January 31 and he went on to finished second in both the Listed Birthday Cup (2023m) on February 14 and the Lord Reims Stakes. The step-up to 3200 metres is a slight concern, but he looks like on the main dangers to Renew.

6. Distillation (53kg)

Distillation has finished sixth in the past two editions of the Adelaide Cup and he is a consistent performer when given the opportunity over these lengthy staying trips. He was not disgraced in the Lord Reims Stakes, but it is tough to see him making the necessary improvement to win the Adelaide Cup.

7. Vima (53kg)

Vima will be having his second consecutive start in the Adelaide Cup, but he is not taking the same sort of form into this year’s edition of the Group 2 event. The Made Of Gold gelding was beaten a long way in the Lord Reims Stakes and it is tough to see him getting a nice run in transit from barrier 13.

8. Crime Fighter (53kg)

Crime Fighter is a progressive stayer that has taken a big step every time that he has stepped-up in distance this preparation. The Street Hero gelding recorded back-to-back wins at Morphettville and Bendigo before he finished a more than credible second in the Moonee Valley Night Cup. This is his first chance over 3200 metres, but the four-year-old looks like he will relish another step-up in trip.

 9. The Ruffian (53kg)

The Ruffian is an interesting horse and he is set to return to Group level for the first time since the 2011 edition of the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m). He has been retrained as a stayer as an older horse and he has performed well in his past three starts, but this is a significant step-up in class and this is his first start over 3200 metres.

10. Too Cool To Fool (53kg)

Amazingly, Too Cool To Fool is leading Adelaide trainer Leon Macdonald’s first ever runner in the Adelaide Cup. Too Cool To Fool battled home to finish fourth behind Taiyoo in the Lord Reims Stakes, but before that beat a strong field in a benchmark 90 event at Morphettville on February 14. She is unlikely to turn-the-tables on Taiyoo and Lucky Lucky Lucky, but could be one to include in exotics.

 11. Waltzing To Win (53kg)

Waltzing To Win did plenty of early work in the Lord Reims Stakes and that told in the final stages of the race when she weakened to finish fifth. She has the advantage of previously running over 3200 metres when she finished fourth behind Renew in the Sandown Cup, she is a genuine stayer and actually represents some value at her current odds of $67 and is well worth an each-way bet.

12. Bredlign (53kg)

Veteran stayer Bredlign is the extreme outsider of the 2015 Adelaide Cup field and he will be having his first race start at Group level as an eight-year-old. He was unable to win in his four previous race starts at Murray Bridge, Mt Gambier, Naracoote and Gawler, which does not bode well for his chances in this race this afternoon.

13. Luck’s A Fortune (53kg)

Luck’s A Fortune’s performance in the Lord Reims Stakes was better than it looked on paper and 3200 metres is a cakewalk for this horse, who absolutely relishes long trips. He won over 3200 metres and 3600 metres during the Marathon Series last year and if this turns into a genuine staying contest he will be fight in the finish. He represents great each-way value at his current quote.

14. Gossip Guru (53kg) (Scratched)

Gossip Guru has been scratched from the 2015 Adelaide Cup and will not take his place in the field ofthe Group 2 event.

15. Refectory (53kg)

Refectory is one of the few horses in the 2015 Adelaide Cup that will be taking winning form into the race after he took out the Kieran And Chris Plate (2400m) at Sandown on March 4. The imported stayer has not produced a bad performance since he arrived in Australia at the start of last year and he has been one of the best-backed runners in Adelaide Cup betting markets.