The Joe Pride-trained Stockman holds narrow favouritism in a wide-open Sydney Cup 2022 field and betting market for the two-mile classic at Royal Randwick this weekend.

Stockman is narrow favourite to win Saturday’s 2022 Sydney Cup over the two miles . Photo: Steve Hart.

One of four elite level features on Day 2 of The Championships, this year’s Group 1 $2 million Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) drew 19 final acceptors.

Heading the latest Sydney Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au after drawing barrier 13 is Stockman getting in on just 51kg with Alysha Collett to ride.

The Tavistock gelding was scratched from last weekend’s Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) and so comes into Saturday fresh off a second behind Duais in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m).

He was 3.4 lengths beaten by the outstanding winner of that mile and a half feature, before which he won the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2000m).

Coming back 8kg off his 59kg at WFA in the Tancred, Stockman is well-supported early to handle a notable distance rise paying $5.

The danger occupying the second line of Sydney Cup betting at $5.50 is the flying Crystal Pegasus chasing a fifth win on the trot.

Sydney’s best, Chris Waller, has prepared five Sydney Cup winners since 2010 including last year’s champion Selino (2021) and Crystal Pegasus is rated the best of his bumper crop of five in the 2022 edition.

The British import has been rising through the ranks this season and was very good two back winning the Listed Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) at Flemington by five lengths.

He franked that form with a solid Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) win last time out on March 26 and has his first Randwick run on Saturday drawn right out in barrier 18 for jockey Jamie Kah.

Waller’s other Sydney Cup hopefuls this autumn are: Chalk Stream ($8), No Compromise ($10), Surefire ($10) and Sheraz ($12).

Three of those ran the trifecta in the Group 3 NE Manion Cup (2400m) this year with No Compromise, Surefire and Chalk Stream running first to third respectively with only 1.39 lengths between them.

The French-bred Sea the Stars gelding Sheraz meanwhile comes off a seventh in the Tancred Stakes, but presents as potential value over the distance having won up to 3000m previously.

The Kris Lees-trained Luncies ($7.50) on the quick back-up off a Chairman’s Quality third here on Day 1 of The Championships is the other runner under double-figures.

Thirteen of the past 27 Sydney Cup champions had their final lead-up in the Chairman’s Quality.

Other standout Sydney Cup horses at longer odds include: last weekend’s Chairman’s Quality runner-up Knights Order ($13) for Waterhouse/Bott, Phillip Stokes’ Adelaide Cup winner over the 3200m from March 14 Daqiansweet Junior ($18) and the 56kg top-weight The Chosen One ($18) coming off a third in the Tancred.

Click here for the latest Sydney Cup 2022 betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2022 Sydney Cup Field & Barrier Draw

Table Credit: Racing Australia.