SYDNEY CUP
3200m, $2 million, handicap at Randwick
HISTORY
- Sydney’s premier staying event first run in 1866 when won by Yattendon
- Honour roll includes: The Barb (1868-69), Carbine (1889-90), Wakeful (1902), Eurythmic (1921), Rogilla (1933), Sailor’s Guide (1956), Sharply (1961), Galilee (1967), Reckless (1977), Double Century (1979), Kingston Town (1980), Our Paddy Boy (1981), Tie The Knot (1998-99), Makybe Diva (2004), Mourayan (2013), Polarisation (2017) and Who Shot Thebarman (2018)
- Tie The Knot was the most recent three-year-old winner (1998)
- Dan Lewis is the leading trainer with five wins
- The 2017 edition had to be run twice after Almoonqith broke down past the the post the first time around and the race was abandoned with Polarisation leading. It was re-run a fortnight later and Polarisation won again
TALKING POINTS
- The Sydney Cup and the Melbourne Cup are now the only two races in Australia still run at Group One level over 3200 metres
- Chris Waller trained the quinella in 2015 when Grand Marshal tipped out Who Shot Thebarman
- Who Shot Thebarman won at his third try in 2018
- English stayer Young Rascal is the favourite. He is trained by William Haggas and will be ridden by Tom Marquand
- Kerrin McEvoy will be aiming to equal the record of three wins as a jockey held by eight others including Jim Cassidy and Neville Sellwood. McEvoy rides the New Zealand-trained The Chosen One.
KEY COMMENTS
- “He’s won $1.2 million. He’s been second in a Group One. He’s a winner of a Group Two. He’s run in a Caulfield Cup. He’s won a Warrnambool Cup. He’s been a really good horse and it would be great for him to win a Group One” – trainer Archie Alexander on Gallic Chieftain.
- “We’re confident he’ll take a bit of beating” – co-trainer David Eustace on proven two-miler Azuro