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 $4 million Group 1 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.
As the premier staying event during the Sydney Autumn Carnival, the Sydney Cup 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 Chairmans 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 rescheduled 2017 Sydney Cup ran on Saturday April 22 after the original running was declared a No Race due to the breakdown of Almoonqith and fall of two jockeys.
| Sydney Cup 2017 | |
|---|---|
| Date: | April 22, 2017 |
| Track: | Royal Randwick Racecourse |
| Distance: | 3200m |
| Conditions: | Open Handicap |
| Status: | Group 1 |
| Prize Money: | $2 million |
| Inaugurated: | 1862 |
2017 Sydney Cup Results
- 1st: Polarisation
- 2nd: Who Shot Thebarman
- 3rd: Big Duke
Read the full Sydney Cup 2017 Results with Charlie Appleby’s UK raider Polarisation holding off a late challenge by the gallant Chris Waller-trained veteran Who Shot Thebarman.
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | POLARISATION (GB) | Charlie Appleby | Corey Brown | – | 6 | 51.5kg | $6.50 |
| 2 | 1 | WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) | Chris Waller | Blake Shinn | 0.2L | 13 | 57kg | $12 |
| 3 | 6 | BIG DUKE (IRE) | Darren Weir | Glen Boss | 0.7L | 2 | 52kg | $3.70F |
| 4 | 8 | ANNUS MIRABILIS (IRE) | Stuart Webb | Dean Holland | 6.1L | 4 | 52kg | $31 |
| 5 | 5 | CHANCE TO DANCE (IRE) | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Christian Reith | 6.2L | 3 | 53kg | $19 |
| 6 | 7 | HARLEM (GB) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Chad Schofield | 6.4L | 7 | 52kg | $17 |
| 7 | 10 | PENGLAI PAVILION (USA) | Charlie Appleby | Kerrin McEvoy | 7.9L | 14 | 52kg | $5.50 |
| 8 | 9 | MISTER IMPATIENCE (GB) | Michael Moroney | Jay Ford | 10.6L | 5 | 52kg | $61 |
| 9 | 11 | KINEMA (IRE) | Chris Waller | Tim Clark | 11.5L | 12 | 52kg (cd 52.5kg) | $21 |
| 10 | 3 | TALLY | John O’Shea | Tommy Berry | 11.6L | 1 | 55kg | $12 |
| 11 | 4 | BOOM TIME | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Cory Parish | 31.1L | 9 | 53.5kg | $11 |
| 12 | 12 | LASQUETI SPIRIT | Lee Curtis | Bobby El-Issa | 40.2L | 8 | 51.5kg | $19 |
| 13 | 13 | PENTATHLON (NZ) | John Wheeler | Jeff Penza | 69.9L | 11 | 51.5kg | $41 |
| FF | 2 | LIBRAN (IRE) | Chris Waller | Brenton Avdulla | – | 10 | 56.5kg | $19 |
| – | 16e | SELF SENSE | David Brideoake | – | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 15e | ROCK ON (NZ) | John Sargent | Jeff Penza | – | 0 | – | – |
2017 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 2017 Sydney Cup odds will be listed below as soon as released by Ladbrokes.com.au in the lead-up to the two mile classic.
2017 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 The BMW (2400m) in the lead-up to the race. The Chairman’s Handicap remains the key Sydney Cup form race.
View our updated Sydney Cup 2017 Form Guide & Betting Preview for all the race facts and stats to guide your selections on the two mile classic.
2017 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 2017 field is set for release on the Tuesday before the race and will be published in full below as soon as available.
The updated 2017 Sydney Cup Final Field & Barriers for the rescheduled edition of the race were released on Wednesday April 19, 2017 featuring a full 14 starters plus 2 emergencies, led by the favourite Big Duke and new entry Lasqueti Spirit who won the Crown Oaks in Melbourne over the spring.
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 527255×364 | WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) | Chris Waller | Blake Shinn | 15 | 57kg | 108 |
| 2 | 41112×8746 | LIBRAN (IRE) | Chris Waller | Brenton Avdulla | 12 | 56.5kg | 107 |
| 3 | 02303×3771 | TALLY | John O’Shea | Tommy Berry | 1 | 55kg | 105 |
| 4 | x311151651 | BOOM TIME | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Cory Parish | 11 | 53.5kg | 101 |
| 5 | 450×423124 | CHANCE TO DANCE (IRE) | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Christian Reith | 5 | 53kg | 100 |
| 6 | 1×42112111 | BIG DUKE (IRE) | Darren Weir | Craig Williams | 2 | 52kg | 104 |
| 7 | 1x92384x38 | HARLEM (GB) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Chad Schofield | 9 | 52kg | 101 |
| 8 | 0x77113510 | ANNUS MIRABILIS (IRE) | Stuart Webb | TBA | 6 | 52kg | 98 |
| 9 | 0100×60530 | MISTER IMPATIENCE (GB) | Michael Moroney | Jay Ford | 7 | 52kg | 98 |
| 10 | 3x0x85x10x | PENGLAI PAVILION (USA) | Charlie Appleby | Kerrin McEvoy | 16 | 52kg | 98 |
| 11 | 70x41x7545 | KINEMA (IRE) | Chris Waller | Tim Clark | 14 | 52kg | 97 |
| 12 | 8241×02753 | LASQUETI SPIRIT | Lee Curtis | Bobby El-Issa | 10 | 51.5kg | 103 |
| 13 | 67379×9786 | PENTATHLON (NZ) | John Wheeler | TBA | 13 | 51.5kg | 93 |
| 14 | 38x2x20x4x | POLARISATION (GB) | Charlie Appleby | Corey Brown | 8 | 51.5kg | 88 |
| 15e | 5213412413 | ROCK ON (NZ) | John Sargent | Jeff Penza | 3 | 51.5kg | 88 |
| 16e | 239×668564 | SELF SENSE | David Brideoake | TBA | 4 | 51.5kg | 87 |
2017 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 2017 Sydney Cup first acceptances are set for release on Tuesday March 7, 2017 and will be listed below once announced.
Check out the original 2017 Sydney Cup First Acceptances by following the link – including new top-weight Our Ivanhowe (57kg) along with the dominant Chris Waller-trained contingent led by Antonio Giuseppe and last year’s runner-up Libran.
2017 Sydney Cup Weights
The official Sydney Cup 2017 weights and updated Sydney Cup ballot are out on Monday February 20, 2017.
View the original 2017 Sydney Cup Weights & Ballot Order by following the link.
2017 Sydney Cup Nominations
The Sydney Cup nominations are first taken by Racing NSW on a Tuesday in early February about two months out from the race and can attract up to 100 stayers.
The official 2017 Sydney Cup nominations are set to close on a Tuesday in early February.
The 2017 Sydney Cup Nominations for the rescheduled edition of the two mile classic closed on Monday April 17, 2017 and featured 16 stayers led by the favourite Big Duke.
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.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Sydney Cup |
1st | TBD | TBD |
| 2nd | TBD | ||
| 3rd | TBD | ||
| 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 | ||