Connections of one of the early favourites for the $500,000 Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m), Cedarberg, have announced the last-start winner of The BMW is an unlikely runner in the testing two-mile feature at Randwick on Saturday April 23.

Four-year-old Helenus gelding Cedarberg burst into Sydney Cup contention with an upset victory in the $2.25 million Group 1 The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on April 2, beating home Mourayan by an easy 1 ¼ lengths despite carrying a hefty 58.5kg.

The elite level win saw bookies slash their price on Cedarberg in the ante-post Sydney Cup markets, the Pat Carey-trained galloper now the close $7.50 second favourite behind Lloyd William’s Mourayan.

However Cedarberg’s owner-breeder Trevor Delroy has told The West Australian that they are likely to bypass the Sydney Cup and contest the shorter-distanced Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the same meeting instead.

The Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes offers the same $500,000 in prize money but is run over a more suitable 2000m.

With rain likely to continue in Sydney throughout the remainder of the month, Delroy expressed concerns over running Cedarberg over the two-mile Cup distance on a wet track.

“I think it is unlikely he will go into the Sydney Cup,” Delroy said.

“I know he is pitched in on the weight, but there is a chance the Cup could be run on a wet track and running on a bog over 3200m is risky.

“The Queen Elizabeth is run on the same day and has the same money.”

Cedarberg is one of 85 horses nominated for the 2011 Schweppes Sydney Cup and has been allocated just 51kg for the showdown.

Other horses fancied to become the Sydney Cup winner in the current markets include Lee Freedman’s High Chaparral five-year-old Above Average ($8.50), improving Galileo four-year-old Linton ($11) who ran third in The BMW, Peter Moody’s Zabeel gelding Macedonian ($12) and the Anthony Cummings-trained veteran Zavite ($12).

Acceptances for the Sydney Cup will be taken on Wednesday April 20 with the final field and barrier draw published here first at Races.com.au.

2011 Schweppes Sydney Cup Ballot & Weights

#	Horse	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	Hcp. Rating
1	DESCARADO (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse	1	58kg	115
2	ZAVITE (NZ)	Anthony Cummings	2	57.5kg	114
3	LINTON	Robert Hickmott	3	55kg	109
4	HAWK ISLAND (IRE)	Chris Waller	4=	54.5kg	108
5	ILLUSTRIOUS BLUE (GB)	David Payne	4=	54.5kg	108
6	C’EST LA GUERRE (NZ)	Robert Hickmott	7=	53.5kg	106
7	SPEED GIFTED (GB)	Lee Freedman	7=	53.5kg	106
8	LORNE DANCER	Gai Waterhouse	9	53kg	105
9	ONCE WERE WILD	Gai Waterhouse	4=	52.5kg	108
10	MOURAYAN (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	10=	52kg	103
11	SHOWCAUSE	Frank Ritchie	10=	52kg	102
12	ABOVE AVERAGE (IRE)	Lee Freedman	12=	51.5kg	100
13	LARRY’S NEVER LATE (NZ)	Jim Conlan	12=	51.5kg	101
14	MUIR (GB)	Robert Hickmott	12=	51.5kg	100
15	TINSELTOWN (NZ)	Michael Moroney	12=	51.5kg	101
16	ABSOLUTELYAWESOME (NZ)	Michael Moroney	62	51kg	78
17	AJHAR (USA)	Lee Freedman	52=	51kg	84
18	ALEXANDER OF HALES (USA)	Chris Waller	36=	51kg	92
19	ANUDJAWUN (NZ)	Shaun Dwyer	67=	51kg	73
20	BEIJING BOY (NZ)	Chris Waller	33=	51kg	93
21	BERLIOZ (NZ)	David Hayes	52=	51kg	84
22	BID SPOTTER	Graeme Rogerson	22=	51kg	96
23	CEDARBERG	Pat Carey	18=	51kg	97
24	COUNT ENCOSTA	John P Thompson	38=	51kg	91
25	CYBER CRIME	Guy Walter	82	51kg	60
26	DAVCON	Heath Conners	51	51kg	85
27	DOOSRA DIAMOND	Bob Challis	49=	51kg	86
28	DOSTANA (NZ)	Bob Thomsen	84=	51kg	55
29	ESKIMO DAN (NZ)	Bevan Laming	22=	51kg	96
30	FAST FUTURE (NZ)	Russell Cameron	16	51kg	99
31	FAZZA (NZ)	Jeff Lynds	40=	51kg	89
32	GALIZANI	John P Thompson	70=	51kg	72
33	GALLANT LADY	Lee Freedman	58=	51kg	79
34	GUDERIAN	Paul Perry	70=	51kg	72
35	HALFWAYTOLONDON	Ken Callaughan	76=	51kg	67
36	HARMONY (NZ)	Peter G Moody	73=	51kg	71
37	HE’S UNDER THE GUN (NZ)	Michael Moroney	56	51kg	83
38	I’M JAKE (NZ)	David Brideoake	65	51kg	75
39	IRONSTEIN	Gerald Ryan	45	51kg	88
40	KING DIAMOND	Mark Kavanagh	18=	51kg	97
41	KING LIONHEART	Gai Waterhouse	57	51kg	80
42	LARISTAN (FR)	David Hayes	22=	51kg	96
43	LOOSE CHANGE (NZ)	David Haworth	33=	51kg	93
44	MACEDONIAN (NZ)	Peter G Moody	17	51kg	98
45	MARKAB	Bart Cummings	75	51kg	69
46	MARTIAL LAW (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	63=	51kg	76
47	MISS DARCEY	Anthony Cummings	40=	51kg	89
48	MISS KEEPSAKE (NZ)	Joseph Pride	28=	51kg	95
49	MONTAHLIA (NZ)	Michael Kent	40=	51kg	89
50	MOUNT EVEREST	Lee Freedman	66	51kg	74
51	MR CHARLIE (NZ)	Peter G Moody	38=	51kg	91
52	MR CONSOLIDATOR	Leon Corstens	78	51kg	66
53	MR PONZI (NZ)	Joseph Pride	67=	51kg	73
54	MR TIPSY (NZ)	Murray & Bjorn Baker	22=	51kg	96
55	MUKARRAR	David Hayes	81	51kg	62
56	NAZABEEL (NZ)	Shaun Dwyer	80	51kg	63
57	OLDER THAN TIME	Gai Waterhouse	18=	51kg	97
58	OUR CANNAVARO (NZ)	Chris Waller	58=	51kg	79
59	OUR SERENA	Pat Carey	58=	51kg	79
60	PERGOLA (NZ)	Colin & Cindy Alderson	46=	51kg	87
61	PLATINUM PASSION	Michael Moroney	52=	51kg	84
62	POPNAE	Guy Walter	79	51kg	64
63	POWER TO SURPRISE (NZ)	Joseph Pride	73=	51kg	71
64	ROI D’JEU (NZ)	Shaune Ritchie	40=	51kg	89
65	RUBINACCI	Tony Vasil	49=	51kg	86
66	SADDLER’S STORY	Robert Smerdon	36=	51kg	92
67	SAINT ENCOSTA	John P Thompson	28=	51kg	95
68	SANDBERG	Guy Walter	63=	51kg	76
69	SCOTTISH BORDER	Garry Frazer	40=	51kg	89
70	SCOUTING WIDE (NZ)	Tim Martin	32	51kg	94
71	SHADOW MINISTER	Garry White	58=	51kg	79
72	SHAMOLINE WARRIOR	Mark Kavanagh	28=	51kg	95
73	SHOW DANCER (NZ)	Bart Cummings	83	51kg	56
74	SOLID BILLING	Craig Ritchie	22=	51kg	96
75	SPACE STATION	Bede Murray	84=	51kg	55
76	STAND TO GAIN (IRE)	Chris Waller	52=	51kg	84
77	STRIKE ONE (GB)	Chris Waller	28=	51kg	95
78	THE PARTY STAND (NZ)	Roger James	18=	51kg	97
79	THE PATRIOT	Luke Price	76=	51kg	67
80	TRIUMPHANT CHOICE	Peter G Moody	70=	51kg	72
81	VESPER	Robert Hickmott	33=	51kg	93
82	VIVID VIXEN (NZ)	Mick Price	22=	51kg	96
83	WELL HANDLED	David Payne	67=	51kg	73
84	ZARA DANCER (NZ)	Bruce Wallace	46=	51kg	87
85	ZAUBERIN	Russell Cameron	46=	51kg	87