One of Australia’s genuine two-mile classic races runs at Royal Randwick on Saturday as part of Day 2 of The Championships and it is the in-form Ciaron Maher-trained Mr Monaco the punters have backed into favouritism for the Sydney Cup 2026.

Punters are treated to four elite level Randwick races this weekend including the season’s top stayers facing off in the Group 1 $2 million Syndey Cup (3200m).

The 2026 Sydney Cup field is down to 14 runners following the early withdrawal of one-time favourite Campaldino and Paradise Storm.

Updated Sydney Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au now has the in-form Territories five-year-old Mr Monaco on top at $5.50 to make it a hat-trick.

He handled a sharp rise in grade last time out coming off a BM88 win over 2000m here to salute narrowly in the Group 3 NE Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Slipper Day in a gritty, sweeping performance on a rain-affected track.

Dropping a kilo down to a lightweight allocation of just 52kg, Jamie Melham comes aboard for the ride.

While yet to prove himself beyond 2400m and drawn wider out, he’s likely to drift back again and be ridden for luck late looking to salute for the punters and become the first favourite to win since Circle Of Fire ($5.50 in 2024).

Maher boasts a terrific Sydney Cup record having prepared three past winners including most recently the aforementioned Circle Of Fire.

Along with the top elect, he is also represented in this year’s field by his Parramatta Cup winning mare Piggyback ($14) to be ridden by the flying Zac Lloyd and the talented Juja Kibo ($13) who lines-up as exciting value play on the quick back-up.

Perennial placegetter Juja Kibo comes off three straight third placings including behind his stablemate in the NE Manion and last weekend when rounding out the trifecta in the Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m).

Champion hoop Craig Williams sticks aboard from nine and Juja Kibo should appreciate a drop in weight from 55.5kg to 52kg.

In a typically wide-open affair, a further five runners are currently under $10 for the win including the Chris Waller-trained topweight River Of Stars ($7).

Still okay weight-wise with 56.5kg, seven-year-old Sea The Stars mare River Of Stars is out to be the first female to beat home her male rivals in the event since Etah James (2020) who Maher co-trained with David Eustace.

With winning form internationally up to 2896m, River Of Stars may be winless down under, but she’s well proven at this grade having faced off against tougher competition equipping herself well.

Last spring she was enormous when runner-up in the Caulfield Cup at 90/1 narrowly beaten before a game fourth in the Melbourne Cup over the 3200m at HQ.

She presents fit third-up and ready to fire this prep coming off two further fourth place efforts in the Group 3 Sky High behind Vauban and Group 1 Tancred Stakes behind Aeliana, and her record from the spring shouldn’t be forgotten.

Since 2010, Waller has trained five Sydney Cup winners, and the other best-fancied of his contingent this weekend is Soul Of Spain ($8).

One of the few in the field proven over 3200m an further, Soul Of Spain also comes out of the Tancred when sixth to his stablemate.

Improvement is expected as he gets up to his preferred trip, he is drawn in gate 11 with Tommy Berry to ride.

It was a fiercely run Tancred Stakes at Rosehill, and Soul Of Spain stuck on admirably, and he looks far better suited here dropping 4.5kg fifth-up and reaching peak fitness.

The Lindsay Park-trained market mover Machine Gun Gracie ($7.50) backed in heavily from $15, Danny O’Brien‘s lightweight Litzdeel ($8.50) coming off a Listed Roy Higgins second in Melbourne over 2600m and the rails-drawn Newlook ($9) round out the hopes at single figure Sydney Cup odds at time of publish.

Four-year-old Maschino mare Machine Gun Gracie is deserving of the early money coming for her as she brings in the confidence of a lead-up Group 3 Epona Stakes (1900m) win at Rosehill by a big margin.

As a filly last prep, she completed the WA Oaks / WATC Derby double on the west coast, she enjoys a huge drop in weight from 58kg in the Epona to a post stamp 51kg on the weekend and is one of the expected front runners with apprentice Luke Cartwright booked to ride.

Newlook meanwhile is another on the quick seven-day turnaround looking to complete the Chairman’s Quality / Sydney Cup double Circle Of Fire did in 2024.

The 2026 Sydney Cup is set to run as Randwick Race 7 at 3:15pm (AEST) on Saturday’s bumper 10-race card.

2026 Sydney Cup Odds

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