The progressive Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Northwest Passage could be given the chance to be the first three-year winner in nearly 20 years to take out the Sydney Cup 2017 this autumn.

Tie The Knot back in 1998 was the last three-year-old winner of the country’s other famous two mile race, the Guy Walter-trained staying champ returning in 1999 to go back-to-back in the Sydney Cup.

He was the first since Veloso (1983) to beat home the older gallopers in the Royal Randwick classic and this season Northwest Passage could be given the chance to be the next.

Waterhouse & Bott have a very high early opinion of So You Think gelding who has won four of his opening five career starts after a successful blitz in Tasmania this summer.

Stepping up through the grades nicely, Northwest Passage completed the Listed Hobart Guineas (2100m) – Tasmanian Derby (2200m) double by a combined margin of nearly 11 lengths.

He returns to the mainland racing again this Friday night at Moonee Valley making his Melbourne debut against the older horses in the $150,000 Listed Torney Night Cup (2500m).

Drawn in barrier six of nine for the handicap clash, Katelyn Mallyon rides Northwest Passage on 54kg after weights were raised half a kilo.

It is a Torney Cup field full of class including Robert Hickmott’s last start Caulfield winner Chance To Dance and the Darren Weir-trained perennial fourth placegetter this campaign Master Of Arts.

Co-trainer Bott is confident Northwest Passage can hold his own as the stable looks to fully get a grasp of his potential heading towards the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival majors.

“The key to him has been getting him out to a trip,” Bott told Racing Victoria.

“He’s been crying out for ground his whole career.

“He’s learning every time he steps out – he’s still a little bit green.

“He was able to get away with the different class edge in Tasmania – still doing a few things wrong – but it will be a lot tough on Friday no doubt.”

The youngster is nominated for the $2 million Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Royal Randwick on April 1 on Day 1 of The Championships.

Depending on his form, there is a chance he will be saved for the following Saturday’s $2 million Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m).

Futures Australian Derby odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Northwest Passage rated a $26 shot.

Markets are led by the James Cummings-trained Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon ($11) who returns to racing on Saturday at Rosehill Gardens in the $400,000 Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m).

Waterhouse is yet to prepare an Australian Derby winner, but any runners in the Sydney Cup field this April will be out to hand her with a third trophy.

Her previous Sydney Cup victories came with Linesman (1997) and The Offer (2014). .

All-in Sydney Cup odds have the Chris Waller-trained The Metropolitan runner-up Antonio Giuseppe ($11) and Japanese raider Tanta Alegria ($11) as the early picks, while Northwest Passage is only rated a $51 shot to break the three-year-old’s hoodoo.

To back Northwest Passage in the 2017 Torney Cup on Friday night and to access all the best upcoming Group 1 racing markets visit Ladbrokes.com.au now – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).