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date | Sat 13 Apr 2024 |
track | Randwick |
distance | 3200m |
conditions | Handicap |
status | Group 1 |
prizemoney | $2,000,000 |
The Sydney Cup isn’t held in the same esteem as the race that stops a nation, and it has lost some lustre in recent years as Australian racing has focussed more on breeding for speed than stamina.
Makybe Diva is the only truly great horse to have won the race this century, which she did back in 2004, but there have been plenty of champions on the honour roll which dates back to 1862.
These days, the horses that win the Sydney Cup are usually in the right place at the right time, and more often than not it remains their only Group 1 win. Generally speaking, you are looking for a horse down in the weights with a sense of timing about them, but not one that you necessarily see reaching higher levels.
The Tancred Stakes over 2400m is always the key lead-up race to look at, given it is run at weight-for-age and horses will be dropping varying amounts of weight into this handicap.
The lightly-raced Cleveland has been favourite for this race since his lovely closing fifth in the Tancred first-up. We know he will relish 3200m given he’s a winner in Europe over further, he drops 8kg’s from that run into this, and should handle whatever track conditions get thrown up.
He’s the one to beat, which the market reflects, but is at a comfortable enough price to get a good return.
It’s always great to see a full field in the big staying handicaps, and a good one has been assembled this year. The Sydney Cup is often a race that has a long tail, but this year you can make at least half a case for almost all of the field.
King Frankel is the “weight” horse from the Tancred into the Sydney Cup, dropping a whopping 9kg’s. He was only a length off the winner Arapaho, and was a length in front of the aforementioned Cleveland. He’s racing like he still has upside, but is an unknown quantity at 3200m.
Six horses are backing up into this out of last week’s Chairman’s Handicap, won by Surefire. There was nothing splitting him, Gin Martini and Nerve Not Verve across the line – the latter two meet the Chris Waller galloper better at the weights, and are proven at 3200m.
High Emocean was blazing fourth in the Chairman’s, which will have topped her off nicely, and the Melbourne Cup placegetter appeals as a value hope.
Selections: 1.Cleveland 2.High Emocean 3.King Frankel 4.Surefire
WIN
* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds
YEAR | HORSE | JOCKEY | TRAINERS |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Explosive Jack | Dylan Gibbons | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
2022 | Knights Order | Rachel King | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
2021 | Selino | Ron Stewart | Chris Waller |
2020 | Etah James | Glen Boss | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
2019 | Shraaoh | Jay Ford | Chris Waller |
2018 | Who Shot Thebarman | Blake Shinn | Chris Waller |
2017 | Polarisation | Corey Brown | Charlie Appleby |
2016 | Gallante | Kerrin McEvoy | Robert Hickmott |
2015 | Grand Marshal | Jim Cassidy | Chris Waller |
2014 | The Offer | Tommy Berry | Gai Waterhouse |
2013 | Mourayan | Hugh Bowman | Robert Hickmott |
2012 | Niwot | Dwayne Dunn | Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes |
2011 | Stand To Gain | R M Quinn | Chris Waller |
2010 | Jessicabeel | Craig Newitt | John O'Shea |