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The Group 1 Sydney Cup is held on the final race day of the esteemed ‘The Championships’ during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ – also known as Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day – is one of the most exciting and valuable race days on the Australian racing calendar.

Held on the second Saturday of April the meeting is headined by four Group 1 races including the richest race on the card – the Group 1 $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m). The other elite level features along with it and the Sydney Cup are the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) for the three-year-old fillies and the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) for fillies and mares.

The Sydney Cup is one of only a few Australian races run over the traditional cup distance of 3200m, the same as Australia’s most illustrious race the Melbourne Cup. This open handicap event is worth a very lucrative $2,000,000 and generally features some of the leading stayers in Australia.

All of The Championships’ races for 2020 had reduced prizemoney due to the COVID-19 pandemic including the Sydney Cup offering $1 million before being boosted back up to $2 million in 2021.

As the premier staying event during the Sydney Autumn Carnival, the Sydney Cup field attracts a high quality field of gallopers each year and notable winners include the three time Melbourne Cup winning mare Makybe Diva (2004), Tie The Knot (1998 & 1999) and Count Chivas (1996).

The best guide to the Sydney Cup in recent years has been the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) held the Saturday before on Doncaster Mile Day. The Chairmans Handicap / Sydney Cup is a very popular betting double.

Horses to claim victory in both races include The Offer (2014), Jessicabeel (2010), No Wine No Song (2008), Henderson Bay (2002), Linesman (1997) and King Aussie (1990).

The 2021 Sydney Cup runs on Saturday April 10, 2021. 

Sydney Cup 2021
Date:	Saturday April 10, 2021
Track:	Royal Randwick Racecourse
Distance:	3200m
Conditions:	Open Handicap
Status:	Group 1
Prize Money:	$2 million
Inaugurated:	1862

2021 Sydney Cup Results

• 1st: TBD
• 2nd: TBD
• 3rd: TBD

2021 Sydney Cup Betting

Sydney Cup betting is notoriously difficult and, just like the Melbourne Cup, is always a very open race.

In recent years favorites have a strong record in the Sydney Cup and the likes of Mahtoum (2005), No Wine No Song (2008), Ista Kareem (2009), Jessicabeel (2010), Niwot (2011) and The Offer (2014) have all given punters a positive result in the race.

However, there has also been plenty of upsets in the history of the Sydney Cup including by the likes of Just A Dancer ($41 in 1991) and Grand Marshal ($41 in 2015).

Good Sydney Cup betting tips include looking for horses that ran top four in their lead-up runs and graduates out of the previous weekend’s Chairman’s Handicap at the Randwick track.

The 2021 Sydney Cup odds will be listed below as released by Ladbrokes.com.au in the lead-up to the two mile classic.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST ALL-IN 2021 SYDNEY CUP ODDS (Post-Nominations)

RUNNER	WIN*	PLACE*
Mount Popa	15.00	4.50
Colette	17.00	5.00
Great House	17.00	5.00
Spirit Ridge	17.00	5.00
The Chosen One	19.00	5.50
Collide	21.00	6.00
Amade	26.00	7.30
Carif	26.00	7.30
Chapada	26.00	7.30
English King	26.00	7.30

*All-In 2021 Sydney Cup odds Top 10 only, post-nominations, correct as of 15/02/2021 and subject to change

2021 Sydney Cup Form Guide

The Sydney Cup form is often very easy to follow as most horses contest either the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) or Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) in the lead-up to the race. The Chairman’s Handicap remains the key Sydney Cup form race.

Stay tuned for our insider Sydney Cup 2021 Form Guide & Betting Preview for all the race facts and stats to guide your selections on the two mile classic.

2021 Sydney Cup Field

Each year the Sydney Cup field attracts the autumn’s top-class stayers many of which have had previous experience over the two miles either via an earlier year’s Sydney Cup or even the iconic Melbourne Cup run at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November.

The Sydney Cup 2021 field will be released Tuesday before the race and published in full below.

2021 Sydney Cup First Acceptances

After nominations close in February the Sydney Cup first acceptances are taken four weeks out from the race on a Tuesday in early March, narrowing down the list of horses heading towards the $2 million classic.

The Sydney Cup 2021 first acceptances close on Tuesday the 9th of March, 2021. 

2021 Sydney Cup Nominations

The Sydney Cup nominations are first taken by Racing NSW on a Tuesday in early-mid February about two months out from the race and can attract up to 100 stayers.

The 2021 Sydney Cup nominations are now out with 105 early entries including last year’s runner-up The Chosen One, the all-in Team Hawkes-trained favourite Mount Popa and Godolphin’s first-up Apollo Stakes winner Colette.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	91x511379x	ACCOUNTABILITY (IRE)	G	5	Chris Waller	76
2	52x4221x4x	ALAKAHAN (IRE)	G	5	Richard & Michael Freedman	60
3	21111x121x	AMADE (IRE)	G	7	Phillip Stokes
4	56x2593x6x	ANGEL OF TRUTH	G	5	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
5	7x1925308x	ATTENTION RUN (GER)	M	6	Kris Lees	92
6	04x241441x	ATTORNEY (FR)	G	6	Matthew Smith
7	33x462605x	AVILIUS (GB)	G	7	James Cummings
8	912391213x	BARADE (FR)	G	6	Archie Alexander
9	144521130x	BEAUDZ WELL (NZ)	G	4	John Wheeler
10	21x743P60x	BIG BLUE (GB)	G	9	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
11	715300x21x	CANASTA (FR)	G	5	Bjorn Baker	79
12	2x6780751x	CARIF	G	5	Peter & Paul Snowden
13	1x7452318x	CERNAN (GB)	G	5	Peter G Moody
14	3125x2193x	CHAPADA	G	5	Michael Moroney
15	x00002860x	CHARLES ROAD	G	7	Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott
16	1111x0561x	COLETTE	M	4	James Cummings	110
17	x4x1x1736x	COLLIDE (GB)	H	6	Kris Lees
18	140x21121x	CONCERT HALL (NZ)	M	6	Roger James & Robert Wellwood
19	1133x451x	COOLTH	G	4	Tony & Calvin McEvoy
20	x00x044x6x	DADOOZDART (GB)	G	5	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
21	0x00x5241x	DARVIN (IRE)	G	5	Matthew Williams
22	1212x5111x	DEFIBRILLATE (NZ)	G	6	Patrick Payne
23	41172x472x	DINADO	M	4	Richard & Michael Freedman	63
24	3x	EMISSARY (GB)	H	4	Michael Moroney
25	71x1546x	ENGLISH KING (FR)	H	4	Michael Moroney
26	113x65119x	ENTENTE	G	4	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	91
27	643x21018x	FAVORITE MOON (GER)	G	4
28	1253x6133x	FUTURE SCORE (IRE)	G	6	Matt Cumani
29	2x06027x8x	GOOD IDEA	G	6	Phillip Stokes
30	21x31x	GREAT HOUSE (IRE)	G	4	Chris Waller	72
31	x1x47x0x0x	HAPPY PHARRELL (FR)	G	6	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
32	9x4211312x	HARPO MARX (IRE)	G	5	Bjorn Baker	76
33	x05530x08x	HERENGAWE (NZ)	G	6	Chris Waller	90
34	000x32400x	HUSH WRITER (JPN)	G	6	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
35	0x5401342x	IN A TWINKLING	G	5	Jamie Richards
36	2x6069531x	JOE’S JOY	M	7	Richard Litt	61
37	80x952033x	KAAPFEVER (NZ)	G	6	Joseph Pride	72
38	2119x0543x	KISS THE BRIDE (NZ)	G	5	Bjorn Baker	84
39	x881194x7x	KORCHO (GB)	H	5	Kris Lees	82
40	1x1x4x161x	LONG ARM (IRE)	G	5	Peter Gelagotis
41	x7811x188x	LORD BELVEDERE (GB)	G	7	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
42	2x8328x41x	LORD TROPICANA	G	4	Gary Portelli	58
43	114x04508x	MASTER OF WINE (GER)	G	6	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
44	4066107x8x	MIAMI BOUND (NZ)	M	4	Danny O’Brien
45	643x74108x	MIRAGE DANCER (GB)	H	7	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
46	04150x000x	MISS SENTIMENTAL (NZ)	M	5	Chris Waller	96
47	1x1x30x0x	MOHICAN HEIGHTS (IRE)	G	4	Chris Waller	80
48	4123x6525x	MOONLIGHT MAID	M	4	Mitchell Freedman
49	x513x7651x	MOSH MUSIC	M	6	Archie Alexander
50	2213x41x2x	MOUNT POPA (IRE)	G	6	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	90
51	126x11124x	MUGATOO (IRE)	G	6	Kris Lees	111
52	225x00980x	MUSTAJEER (GB)	G	8	Kris Lees
53	2x350x033x	MY SWASHBUCKLER (IRE)	G	6	Kris Lees	75
54	1635678x8x	NELSON (IRE)	G	6	Symon Wilde
55	2x7450130x	NERVE NOT VERVE (NZ)	M	5	Michael Moroney
56	21x3719x3x	NONCONFORMIST	G	4	Grahame Begg
57	7836x0508x	NORWAY (IRE)	G	5	Peter G Moody	91
58	1x1x	PALE KING (FR)	G	4	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	67
59	x313x21x5x	PAPPALINO (FR)	H	5	Archie Alexander
60	3x0011455x	PATHS OF GLORY (GB)	G	6	Richard & Michael Freedman	96
61	x69379729x	PLATINUM INVADOR (NZ)	G	5	Lisa Latta
62	x02524549x	POLLY GREY (NZ)	M	6	Chris Waller
63	947152x01x	QUALITY APPROACH	G	5	Michael Costa
64	423115x05x	QUICK THINKER	H	4	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
65	x6613x500x	RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE)	G	7	Kris Lees
66	611x58862x	REALM OF FLOWERS	M	4	Anthony & Sam Freedman
67	76x695082x	RONDINELLA (NZ)	M	6	John O’Shea	99
68	34193x503x	RUDIMENTAL (FR)	G	5	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra
69	12922Px90x	RUNAWAY	R	6	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
70	11251x311x	SACRAMENTO	G	4	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	88
71	38x513883x	SAN HUBERTO (IRE)	H	5	Matt Cumani
72	5x16x7164x	SARACEN KNIGHT (IRE)	G	6	Robert Hickmott
73	4x4844668x	SCARLET DREAM	M	5	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	86
74	311x28228x	SELINO (GB)	G	5	Chris Waller	95
75	x092527x1x	SHARED AMBITION (IRE)	G	5	Chris Waller	106
76	21050x083x	SHEPARD (GB)	G	5	Peter G Moody
77	1x5361325x	SHE’S IDEEL	M	5	Bjorn Baker
78	x0006x063x	SHRAAOH (IRE)	G	8	Chris Waller
79	342x47182x	SIN TO WIN (NZ)	G	8	Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes
80	x222x16x7x	SIR DRAGONET (IRE)	H	5	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
81	40x5x0141x	SKYMAX (GER)	G	5	Mark Newnham	91
82	x522621x6x	SOUND (GER)	H	8	Michael Moroney
83	441301x79x	SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE)	G	6	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	108
84	002x	SPINPIX	M	5	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
85	24x1x2211x	SPIRIT RIDGE (GB)	G	6	Mark Newnham	101
86	50x307851x	STARCASTER (GB)	G	6	Anthony & Sam Freedman
87	x5445x744x	STARS OF CARRUM	G	5	Peter G Moody
88	x339x2023x	STAY FOOLISH (JPN)	H	6	Yoshito Yahagi	106
89	679x03310x	STEEL PRINCE (IRE)	G	7	Anthony & Sam Freedman
90	0715x0648x	SWEET THOMAS (GER)	G	9	Matthew Smith	86
91	63223x221x	SWORDS DRAWN	H	5	Shaune Ritchie
92	1x33x2045x	TAISEI TRAIL (JPN)	H	6	Yoshito Yahagi	101
93	102x00D66x	TE AKAU CALIBURN (IRE)	G	6	Jamie Richards
94	572x18734x	THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ)	H	5	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
95	221x58203x	TOFFEE TONGUE (NZ)	M	4	Chris Waller	104
96	224x11121x	TRALEE ROSE (NZ)	M	4	Symon Wilde
97	137114015x	TRUE MARVEL (FR)	G	5	Matthew Smith	65
98	1x1x08824x	VADIYANN (FR)	G	6	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	79
99	212x14117x	VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ)	M	5	Chris Waller	121
100	5633x7600x	WARNING	G	4	Anthony & Sam Freedman
101	x39x0x422x	WOLFE (JPN)	G	6	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	101
102	9x36513x6x	YONKERS (USA)	G	5	Chris Waller	84
103	19x17x780x	YOUNG RASCAL (FR)	G	6	Archie Alexander
104	123x7x	YOUNG WERTHER (NZ)	G	3	Danny O’Brien
105	2114x9432x	YULONG CAPTAIN (IRE)	G	5	Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Sydney Cup History

The Sydney Cup was first run in 1862 as a Principal race over 16 furlongs, and Talleyrand won the inaugural race. The distance and conditions of the Sydney Cup remained the same for over a century until Australia’s adoption of the metric system caused the length to be converted to 3200m in 1973. In 1980 the Sydney Cup was elevated to Group 1 status.

The event has gone by a number of different names over the years including the Randwick Grand Handicap, Randwick Grand Handicap Sweepstakes and the Sydney Gold Cup.

In 2017 the Sydney Cup was run on April 8, but declared a No Race after the fall of Almoonqith. It ran for a second time a fortnight later with the same horse, UK raider Polarisation, first past the post again.

In 2018 Who Shot Thebarman made history winning the Sydney Cup as a nine-year-old at his fifth attempt in the two mile classic.

Sydney Cup Records
Time Record:	3:19.0 set by Apollo Eleven in 1973 and equalled by Just A Dancer in 1991.
Most Heavily Weighted Winner (since 1970):	My Good Man with 60kg in 1978.
Lightest Weighted Winner (since 1970):	Palace Revolt with 48.5kg in 1989.

Recent Sydney Cup Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2021 Sydney Cup	1st	TBD	TBD
	2nd	TBD
	3rd	TBD
2020 Sydney Cup	1st	Etah James	3 minutes 28.46 seconds
	2nd	The Chosen One
	3rd	Raheen House
2019 Sydney Cup	1st	Shraaoh	3 minutes 22.06 seconds
	2nd	Vengeur Masque
	3rd	Glory Days
2018 Sydney Cup	1st	Who Shot Thebarman	3 minutes 20.04 seconds
	2nd	Zacada
	3rd	Sir Charles Road
2017 Sydney Cup	1st	Polarisation	3 minutes 29.16 seconds
	2nd	Who Shot Thebarman
	3rd	Big Duke
2016 Sydney Cup	1st	Gallante	3 minutes 24.5 seconds
	2nd	Libran
	3rd	Grand Marshal
2015 Sydney Cup	1st	Grand Marshal	3 minutes 24.70 seconds
	2nd	Who Shot Thebarman
	3rd	Like A Carousel
2014 Sydney Cup	1st	The Offer	3 minutes 23.86 seconds
	2nd	Opinion
	3rd	Sertorius
2013 Sydney Cup	1st	Niwot	3 minutes 20.4 seconds
	2nd	Efficient
	3rd	Once Were Wild
2012 Sydney Cup	1st	Mourayan	3 minutes 24.29 seconds
	2nd	Norsqui
	3rd	Aliyana Tide
2011 Sydney Cup	1st	Stand To Gain	3 minutes 29.1 seconds
	2nd	Older Than Time
	3rd	Solid Billing
2010 Sydney Cup	1st	Jessicabeel	3 minutes 21.86 seconds
	2nd	Divine Rebel
	3rd	Harris Tweed
2009 Sydney Cup	1st	Ista Kareem	3 minutes 27.4 seconds
	2nd	Divine Rebel
	3rd	Mr Tipsy
2008 Sydney Cup	1st	No Wine No Song	3 minutes 25.5 seconds
	2nd	Pentathon
	3rd	Lang
2007 Sydney Cup	1st	Gallic	3 minutes 27.3 seconds
	2nd	Irazu
	3rd	No Wine No Song
2006 Sydney Cup	1st	County Tyrone	3 minutes 22.6 seconds
	2nd	Zabeat
	3rd	Three Chimneys
2005 Sydney Cup	1st	Mahtoum	3 minutes 27.6 seconds
	2nd	County Tyrone
	3rd	Philosophe
2004 Sydney Cup	1st	Makybe Diva	3 minutes 21.1 seconds
	2nd	Manawa King
	3rd	Mummify
2003 Sydney Cup	1st	Honor Babe	3 minutes 30.5 seconds
	2nd	County Tyrone
	3rd	Grey Song
2002 Sydney Cup	1st	Henderson Bay	3 minutes 26.7 seconds
	2nd	Mr. Prudent
	3rd	Spirit Of Westbury
2001 Sydney Cup	1st	Mr. Prudent	3 minutes 26.9 seconds
	2nd	Prophet’s Kiss
	3rd	Starina
2000 Sydney Cup	1st	Streak	3 minutes 30.3 seconds
	2nd	Sharscay
	3rd	Ears’ Ronny