The purists' day has arrived, and the biggest Australian racing crowd of the year will be on course at Flemington for Victoria Derby day.

As always on this day, the three-year-olds take centre stage, not only in the derby itself but in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes for the sprinters.

The Coolmore Stud is likely to see a rematch between boom colt The Next Episode and top filly Natural Fling following their Danehill Stakes thriller.

In the other Group 1, the miler mares match motors in the Empire Rose.

The day's richest race, however, is at Randwick, where the cream of our four-year-old sprinter/milers battle for $10 million in the Golden Eagle. Other highlights include the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes, the $750,000 Rosehill Gold Cup and the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway for provincial horses and smaller city stables.

You'll find Australia's best form guide for Saturday's Flemington, Randwick, Doomben and Morphettville meetings in this week's Best Bets, plus coverage of The Valley @ Cranbourne Friday night.

On pages 4 and 5 you'll find four-state selections from some of the nation's leading form analysts as well as our popular Black Bookers, Sectional Stars and Video Stars features.

Best Bets ($7) is on sale Thursday morning in NSW newsagents, Friday elsewhere.