We round out the Melbourne Cup Carnival with Champions Day at Flemington.

Arguably the best of the four days of Cup week, the revamped Champions Day is stacked with talent, not just across the three Group Ones.

Via Sistina returns as the odds-on favourite in the Champions Stakes and on pure pricing, the $1.75 floating around seems more than fair having marked her $1.50.

She started $1.60 when winning easily last year off the massive Cox Plate win and whilst not up to that level this time, she won't need to be.

I think Pier is the horse that can run second and provide some value to exotics. He's been closing strongly this time in and was very good to weight-for-age in the King Charles when third, suggesting 2000m would be ideal now.

Regardless, we'll avoid the cowardly way for a best bet and instead roll back to Race 3, the time-honoured Fisher Stakes where Nadal looks an outstanding betting proposition on best ratings.

He was something licked in this race last year as a $3.25 favourite when badly held up before exploding with a Group 1 sort of rating (12) in the Meteorite at Cranbourne.

Off an injury this time in, I thought he got a pass mark in the Caulfield Sprint over 1000m when condition just gave out late, unsuited over a test of late speed on a quick deck there.

1200m down the straight suits much better and the wide draw, which should lead to the better ground late in the carnival, he looks well over the odds at the double figure quote given he boasts the highest peak rating in the field.

In the same colours over the 2600m of the Queen Elizabeth, Race 5, is topweight Birdman who missed a run in the Melbourne Cup and comes for the consolation.

He's been excellent this time in, another boasting the highest rating performance in the field courtesy of his win in the Kingston Town over 2000m three back in fast time.

Since then he's been second-fastest home from a horrible spot in The Metropolitan and fourth-fastest home in the Caulfield Cup when beaten three lengths, which of course provided the Melbourne Cup winner and 4th placegetter.

60kg to carry here but getting a nourished (and no longer wasting) J-Mac on certainly negates that.

The other horse worth having something on there is the stablemate Star Of India. He's a query at 2600m given his form past 2000m has been poor, but I think Waller has got him back to his best this campaign and he won the JRA Cup in fast time at Moonee Valley latest.

That rating has him very hard to knock here and he has the perfect platform to run the trip out strongly with an airborne Zahra aboard.

The Melbourne Mail

Bet of the day: Race 3 #2 Nadal at $10

Also backing: Race 5 #1 Birdman at $5.50 and #7 Star Of India at $9.50