The Sydney Cup 2017 is a key support act to Winx winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday and below is a comprehensive form guide analysis and betting preview on the two mile classic.

Annus Mirabilis is at a big price to complete the Adelaide Cup – Sydney Cup 2017 double. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

Set to run as Randwick Race 8 at 3:55pm (AEST), this year’s $2 million Group 1 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) field features fourteen stayers.

The 57kg top weight Who Shot Thebarman, racing in the Sydney Cup field for a fourth consecutive year, is the sole Group 1 winner in the mix.

Chris Waller’s evergreen veteran is at $8 in the latest Sydney Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, but all the rage in betting to salute for the punters for the first time since The Offer (2014) is Big Duke.

Darren Weir’s impressive Chairman’s Handicap winner from last weekend is at $2.70 and firming in Sydney Cup betting and gets all the weight relief in the Group 1.

Below we look to uncover the value in the markets looking at the full Sydney Cup 2017 form guide, betting history and race statistics ahead of the classic on Day 2 of ‘The Championships’.

2017 Sydney Cup Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Sydney Cup winner was the Robert Hickmott-trained Gallante (2016) who came off a third in the NE Manion Cup, jumped from barrier 11 (of 11) as a $10 shot in betting with Kerrin McEvoy aboard the 51.5kg light weight
• Robert Hickmott (5-2-1-0) chases back-to-back Sydney Cup wins as a trainer for the first time since Guy Walter (1998-99) and his third overall with #5 Assign ($7)
• The other previous Sydney Cup winning trainers with a starter on Saturday are: Chris Waller (15-2-3-1) with #1 Who Shot Thebarman ($8), #2 Libran ($14) and #11 Kinema ($34); and David Hayes (9-1-0-1) with #3 Almoonqith ($26)
• Kerrin McEvoy (1-1-0-0) chases back-to-back Sydney Cup wins as a jockey for the first time since RS Dye (1998-99) aboard #10 Penglai Pavilion ($10)
• The other previous Sydney Cup winning hoops with a ride this year are: Hugh Bowman (6-1-0-0) on #2 Libran, Tommy Berry (5-1-0-0) on #4 Tally, Damien Oliver (8-1-0-1) on #5 Assign, Craig Williams (9-1-0-1) on #7 Big Duke and Corey Brown (12-1-1-3) on #14 Polarisation
• Last year’s winning barrier (11) has produced two Sydney Cup winners (since 1983) and is drawn this year by #14 Polarisation ($15)
• The most successful Sydney Cup barrier in that time with nine winners is gate eight drawn this weekend by #4 Tally ($13)

• Just one Sydney Cup winner in the past decade has run worse than fourth in the lead-up – Stand To Gain (Chairman’s Handicap 10^th in 2011)
• The runners coming off a top four run in the Sydney Cup field this year are: #1 Who Shot Thebarman, #4 Tally, #5 Assign, #6 Chance To Dance, #7 Big Duke, #13 Vengeur Masque and #14 Polarisation
• The Chairman’s Handicap is the most successful Sydney Cup lead-up including producing 7 of the past 10 winners
• The Chairman’s Handicap graduates running in the Group 1 on Saturday are: #1 Big Duke (1^st), #11 Kinema (5^th) and #12 Pentathlon (6^th)
• #1 Big Duke ($2.70) chases the Chairman’s Handicap – Sydney Cup double last achieved by The Offer (2014)

• Only one Sydney Cup winner has come off a non-Sydney lead-up since 2001 with Gallic (2007) who completed the Adelaide Cup – Sydney Cup double
• #1 Big Duke ($2.70) is favourite in Sydney Cup betting and The Offer (2014) was the last top fancy to salute for the punters
• #6 Chance To Dance ($19) comes off an Adelaide Cup fourth this year
• #8 Annus Mirabilis ($26) chases the Adelaide Cup – Sydney Cup double but ran last (13^th) in the Mornington Cup last time out
• #4 Tally is after the Mornington Cup – Sydney Cup double out to join Mur Prudent (Easter Cup 3^rd, Caulfield, 2001) as the only Sydney Cup winner to come off a Melbourne lead-up in over 30 years
• The other non-Sydney graduates in the mix are: #3 Almoonqith (Mornington Cup 7^th), #13 Vengeur Masque (Mornington Cup 2^nd), #9 Mister Impatience (Auckland Cup 12^th in NZ), #10 Penglai Pavilion (Prix Royal Oak 11^th in France) and #14 Polarisation (Doncaster 4^th in UK)
• Sydney Cup favourites also won four of the five editions of the race from 2008 – 2012
• Five-year-olds have won four of the past six editions of the Sydney Cup; the 5YOs in the mix this year are: #7 Big Duke, #12 Pentathlon, #13 Vengeur Masque and #14 Polarisation
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #7 Big Duke (50%) followed by #2 Libran (35%), #5 Assign (35%) and #10 Penglai Pavilion (35%)
• The best Place Rate of the field belongs to #7 Big Duke (92%) followed by #4 Tally (68%) and #6 Chance To Dance (63%)
• The previous Randwick winners in the mix are: #2 Libran (6-2-1-1) and #7 Big Duke (1-1-0-0)

• The previous winners over the distance (3200m) are: #9 Mister Impatience (8-2-0-0), #1 Who Shot Thebarman (7-1-1-1), #3 Almoonqith (5-1-0-0), #8 Annus Mirabilis (1-1-0-0), #10 Penglai Pavilion (1-1-0-0) and #12 Pentathlon (5-1-1-0)
• The horses with the best Heavy track form are: #7 Big Duke (2-2-0-0), #1 Who Shot Thebarman (6-1-0-1), #5 Assign (2-1-1-0), #6 Chance To Dance (3-1-1-0) and #10 Penglai Pavilion (1-1-0-0)

Stay tuned for our 2017 Sydney Cup tips, checking out the full race form guide below in the meantime for all you need to know before placing your bets at Ladbrokes.com.au.