Sydney Cup: Randwick 3200m

Race Overview

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.

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Betting guide

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.

Preview & tips

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

Expert Tips

Author
Cameron rose's Tip

CLEVELAND

WIN

Schweppes Sydney Cup 08 April 15:15
11. Cleveland
Win 3.90
Place 1.75

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds

Punters' poll

Have your say

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GOLD TRIP
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KNIGHT'S ORDER
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BARON SAMEDI
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STOCKMAN
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ARAPAHO
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SELINO
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SUREFIRE
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EXPLOSIVE JACK
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SIR LUCAN
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TORRENS
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CLEVELAND
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HIGH EMOCEAN
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AMADE
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KING FRANKEL
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NERVE NOT VERVE
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GIN MARTINI
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TIMOUR
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ALAKAHAN
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PESTO
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TRUE MARVEL
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Past Winners Of The Sydney Cup

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

2023 SYDNEY CUP REPLAY