COOLMORE STUD STAKES

* The $1.5 million Coolmore Stud Stakes is a Group One set weights race over 1200m for three-year-olds at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse

* It will run as race six at 3pm AEDT on Saturday, November 2

HISTORY

* First run as the Ascot Vale Stakes over 1000m in 1863 and won by Freestone

* It was previously a race for two-year-olds olds and run in autumn

* Distance upped to 1200m in 1872

* Moved to September and run as a three-year-old race from 1969

* Upgraded to Group One in 2006 and scheduled on Derby day, swapping with the Danehill Stakes

* New Zealander Our Maizcay set race record of 1:08.2 in 1995 which still stands

NOTABLE WINNERS

* Vain (1969), Century (1972), Taj Rossi (1973), Toy Show (1975), Surround (1976), Manikato (1978), Rancher (1982), Campaign King (1985), Zeditave (1988), Weekend Hussler (2007), Sepoy (2011), Zoustar (2013), Brazen Beau (2014), Merchant Navy (2017), Sunlight (2018)

TALKING POINTS

* Prize money boosted from $1 million to $1.5 million for 2019

* Trainer Chris Waller won the race from 2013 to 2015, with 2014 winner Brazen Beau the sire of his stable's runner Accession

* An important stallion-making race as recent winners Zoustar and Brazen Beau have proven

* Zoustar sired the trifecta last year, with Sunlight beating Chris Waller-trained colts Zousain and Lean Mean Machine

* Cosmic Force is coming off a last-start win in Sydney's Group Two Roman Consul Stakes, the same lead-up race won by Zoustar and Brazen Beau

* James Cummings-trained Bivouac is the favourite and backs up eight days after running sixth in the Manikato Stakes

* Golden Rose placegetter Exceedance and Libertini are on the second line of betting at $4.80

* Microphone is unbeaten in two starts at Flemington

WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING

"He's a really nice chance. His form has been around Yes Yes Yes and Bivouac. They're probably the top-three colts at this stage for mine" - Exceedance's trainer Michael Hawkes

"We've had a bit of luck in the race the last few years. His dad won the race, Brazen Beau, so the history's there" - Chris Waller on Accession

"It'll just about be the race of the day. An absolutely mouth-watering contest" - Godolphin trainer James Cummings

"I think Bivouac with the fitness on his side is just more forward in his campaign, but one thing about Microphone is he has a wonderful straight-track record" - James Cummings on Bivouac and Microphone

"That's a great form line to come into this race and he trialled well enough on Friday to say that he will handle the straight OK. You don't know until race day, but he's a very talented colt" - Cosmic Force's co-trainer Peter Snowden

"She was a close-up second to Bivouac at her first race start and he was already a stakes winner at the time. Everything she has done since that has confirmed that sort of form" - Libertini's trainer Anthony Cummings