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The Group 1 Sydney Cup is held on the final race day of the esteemed ‘The Championships’ during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ – also known as Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day – is one of the most exciting and valuable race days on the Australian racing calendar.

Held on the second Saturday of April the meeting is headined by four Group 1 races including the richest race on the card – the Group 1 $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m). The other elite level features along with it and the Sydney Cup are the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) for the three-year-old fillies and the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) for fillies and mares.

The Sydney Cup is one of only a few Australian races run over the traditional cup distance of 3200m, the same as Australia’s most illustrious race the Melbourne Cup. This open handicap event is worth a very lucrative $2,000,000 and generally features some of the leading stayers in Australia.

All of The Championships’ races for 2020 had reduced prizemoney due to the COVID-19 pandemic including the Sydney Cup offering $1 million.

As the premier staying event during the Sydney Autumn Carnival, the Sydney Cup field attracts a high quality field of gallopers each year and notable winners include the three time Melbourne Cup winning mare Makybe Diva (2004), Tie The Knot (1998 & 1999) and Count Chivas (1996).

The best guide to the Sydney Cup in recent years has been the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) held the Saturday before on Doncaster Mile Day. The Chairmans Handicap / Sydney Cup is a very popular betting double.

Horses to claim victory in both races include The Offer (2014), Jessicabeel (2010), No Wine No Song (2008), Henderson Bay (2002), Linesman (1997) and King Aussie (1990).

The 2020 Sydney Cup ran on Saturday April 11, 2020 and was won in an upset by the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained import Etah James. 

Sydney Cup 2020
Date:	Saturday April 11, 2020
Track:	Royal Randwick Racecourse
Distance:	3200m
Conditions:	Open Handicap
Status:	Group 1
Prize Money:	$2 million ($1 million in 2020 due to COVID-19)
Inaugurated:	1862

2020 Sydney Cup Results

• 1st: #10 Etah James
• 2nd: #6 The Chosen One
• 3rd: #4 Raheen House

It was the form out of the New Zealand staying races that held up in the 2020 Sydney Cup results with the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained former Kiwi-trained mare Etah James ($14) narrowly defeating the New Zealand galloper The Chosen One ($18) in the two mile feature.

Click here to read more on the upset Sydney Cup 2020 win by Etah James.

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Barrier	Weight	SP
1	10	ETAH JAMES (NZ)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Glen Boss	–	8	51kg (cd 51.5kg)	$14
2	6	THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ)	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman	Kerrin McEvoy	0.2L	5	53.5kg	$18
3	4	RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE)	Kris Lees	Brenton Avdulla	0.7L	2	54kg	$6
4	11	SWEET THOMAS (GER)	Matthew Smith	Ms Rachel King	3.2L	10	51kg	$31
5	1	MUSTAJEER (GB)	Kris Lees	Nash Rawiller	4L	3	57.5kg	$5.50
6	9	ANGEL OF TRUTH	Gwenda Markwell	Sam Clipperton	4.3L	12	52.5kg (cd 53.5kg)	$11
7	2	YOUNG RASCAL (FR)	William Haggas	Tom Marquand	6.2L	9	56kg	$2.90F
8	5	GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR)	Archie Alexander	Jason Collett	18.1L	6	53.5kg	$18
9	8	YOGI (NZ)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Jean Van Overmeire (a)	18.3L	1	52.5kg	$21
10	12	SAUNTER BOY (FR)	Kris Lees	Jay Ford	26.6L	4	51kg	$101
11	3	HUSH WRITER (JPN)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	59.4L	7	54.5kg	$26
12	7	AZURO (FR)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Glyn Schofield	66.5L	11	53kg (cd 53.5kg)	$18
–	13	CORNCRAKE (GB)	Matthew Smith	Ms Kathy O’Hara	–	0	–	–

2020 Sydney Cup Betting

Sydney Cup betting is notoriously difficult and, just like the Melbourne Cup, is always a very open race.

In recent years favorites have a strong record in the Sydney Cup and the likes of Mahtoum (2005), No Wine No Song (2008), Ista Kareem (2009), Jessicabeel (2010), Niwot (2011) and The Offer (2014) have all given punters a positive result in the race.

However, there has also been plenty of upsets in the history of the Sydney Cup including by the likes of Just A Dancer ($41 in 1991) and Grand Marshal ($41 in 2015).

Good Sydney Cup betting tips include looking for horses that ran top four in their lead-up runs and graduates out of the previous weekend’s Chairman’s Handicap at the Randwick track.

The 2020 Sydney Cup odds will be listed below as released by Ladbrokes.com.au in the lead-up to the two mile classic.

2020 Sydney Cup Form Guide

The Sydney Cup form is often very easy to follow as most horses contest either the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) or Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) in the lead-up to the race. The Chairman’s Handicap remains the key Sydney Cup form race.

Stay tuned for our insider Sydney Cup 2020 Form Guide & Betting Preview for all the race facts and stats to guide your selections on the two mile classic.

2020 Sydney Cup Field

Each year the Sydney Cup field attracts the autumn’s top-class stayers many of which have had previous experience over the two miles either via an earlier year’s Sydney Cup or even the iconic Melbourne Cup run at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November.

The Sydney Cup 2020 field will be released Tuesday before the race and published in full below.

Thirteen stayers make-up the 2020 Sydney Cup final field this autumn with the in-form UK raider Young Rascal the clear favourite in barrier 10 after the NE Manion Cup win fresh down under.

Click here to read more on the Sydney Cup 2020 field of 13.

Update: The rails-drawn #13 Corncrake (1) has been scratched from the Sydney Cup field.

Click here for the full 2020 Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day Scratchings & Track Report.

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Hcp. Rating
1	235160×122	MUSTAJEER (GB)	Kris Lees	Nash Rawiller	4	57.5kg	111
2	11x56x19x1	YOUNG RASCAL (FR)	William Haggas	Tom Marquand	10	56kg	106
3	621816×700	HUSH WRITER (JPN)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	8	54.5kg	105
4	x23960x661	RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE)	Kris Lees	Brenton Avdulla	3	54kg	104
5	042874×974	GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR)	Archie Alexander	Jason Collett	7	53.5kg	103
6	91950×3857	THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ)	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman	Kerrin McEvoy	6	53.5kg	103
7	1×05531377	AZURO (FR)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Glyn Schofield	12	53kg	102
8	50x23x7896	YOGI (NZ)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Jean Van Overmeire (a)	2	52.5kg	101
9	5800×89575	ANGEL OF TRUTH	Gwenda Markwell	Sam Clipperton	13	52.5kg	101
10	x874641634	ETAH JAMES (NZ)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Glen Boss	9	51kg	98
11	15x600x477	SWEET THOMAS (GER)	Matthew Smith	Ms Rachel King	11	51kg	98
12	4554x057x5	SAUNTER BOY (FR)	Kris Lees	Jay Ford	5	51kg	89
13	4111×32711	CORNCRAKE (GB)	Matthew Smith	Ms Kathy O’Hara	1	51kg	66

2020 Sydney Cup First Acceptances

After nominations close in February the Sydney Cup first acceptances are taken four weeks out from the race on a Tuesday in early March, narrowing down the list of horses heading towards the $2 million classic.

The Sydney Cup 2020 first acceptances attracted 52 stayers with UK raider Young Rascal the short-priced favourite following his NE Manion Cup victory first-up in Australia.

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp. Rating
1	342x1x1311	AKTAU (GB)	G	4	Michael Moroney	90
2	5800×89575	ANGEL OF TRUTH	G	4	Gwenda Markwell	101
3	143276×507	ATTENTION RUN (GER)	M	5	Kris Lees	90
4	125x11x680	ATTORNEY (FR)	G	5	Matthew Smith	76
5	2147×54533	AVILIUS (GB)	G	6	James Cummings	116
6	1×05531377	AZURO (FR)	G	6	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	102
7	3240×79968	BEAU BALMAIN (GER)	G	5	Jim Conlan	87
8	15222×0352	CARIF	H	4	Peter & Paul Snowden	99
9	1158×80453	CHOUXTING THE MOB (NZ)	G	6	Simon Morrish	89
10	112617×909	COME PLAY WITH ME	G	5	Chris Waller	107
11	4111×32711	CORNCRAKE (GB)	H	4	Matthew Smith	66
12	124×615129	DABIYR (IRE)	G	5	Chris Waller	94
13	7814515222	DARK PEARL (IRE)	G	6	Chris Waller	77
14	21112×08	DJUKON (GB)	G	4	Chris Waller	92
15	1512141340	DONNDUBHAN	G	5	Brent Stanley	75
16	10111x42x7	ESTI FENY (HUN)	H	5	Matthew Smith	91
17	x874641634	ETAH JAMES (NZ)	M	7	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	98
18	37x47Px960	FAIRLIGHT (IRE)	G	5	Kris Lees	71
19	0426351625	FUN FACT	G	4	Bjorn Baker	88
20	19211×1253	FUTURE SCORE (IRE)	G	5	Matt Cumani	92
21	042874×974	GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR)	H	7	Archie Alexander	103
22	2251110596	GARBHAN	G	6	Brent Stanley	74
23	3x5559x864	GLORY DAYS (NZ)	M	7	Bill Thurlow	104
24	621816×700	HUSH WRITER (JPN)	G	5	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	105
25	22x171353x	IL PARADISO (USA)	H	4	Chris Waller	107
26	55121×1071	ILWENDO (GER)	H	6	Matthew Smith	80
27	82112×5147	JUST BENJAMIN (GB)	G	4	Anthony Freedman	80
28	1x3349x211	KING OF LEOGRANCE (FR)	G	5	Danny O’Brien	91
29	54×2561165	LUVALUVA (NZ)	M	5	John Sargent	107
30	516530×887	MIDTERM (GB)	G	7	Michael & Luke Cerchi	95
31	2348126789	MORTON’S FORK	G	6	Richard Litt	94
32	x156x11126	MUGATOO (IRE)	G	5	Kris Lees	84
33	235160×122	MUSTAJEER (GB)	G	7	Kris Lees	111
34	x058321023	PLATINUM INVADOR (NZ)	G	4	Lisa Latta	99
35	142×821950	PRIMITIVO	G	5	John Thompson	96
36	x23960x661	RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE)	G	6	Kris Lees	104
37	170x540x38	RED CARDINAL (IRE)	G	8	Kris Lees	105
38	4554x057x5	SAUNTER BOY (FR)	G	7	Kris Lees	89
39	11x111x310	SHARED AMBITION (IRE)	G	4	Chris Waller	97
40	x07005x532	SOUND (GER)	H	7	Michael Moroney	103
41	6441301×79	SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE)	H	5	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	110
42	40490×5445	STARS OF CARRUM	G	4	Pat Carey	86
43	16x2026x43	SUPERNOVA (GB)	G	5	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	95
44	15x600x477	SWEET THOMAS (GER)	G	8	Matthew Smith	98
45	12x50x7102	TE AKAU CALIBURN (IRE)	H	5	Jamie Richards	91
46	91950×3857	THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ)	H	4	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman	103
47	x71502x880	VENGEUR MASQUE (IRE)	G	8	Michael Moroney	107
48	34121×7556	WARNING	G	3	Anthony Freedman	103
49	x185310x39	WOLFE (JPN)	G	5	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	100
50	6110×97730	WU GOK	G	6	Chris Waller	102
51	50x23x7896	YOGI (NZ)	G	7	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	101
52	11x56x19x1	YOUNG RASCAL (FR)	G	5	William Haggas	106

2020 Sydney Cup Nominations

The Sydney Cup nominations are first taken by Racing NSW on a Monday in early-mid February about two months out from the race and can attract up to 100 stayers.

Sydney Cup History

The Sydney Cup was first run in 1862 as a Principal race over 16 furlongs, and Talleyrand won the inaugural race. The distance and conditions of the Sydney Cup remained the same for over a century until Australia’s adoption of the metric system caused the length to be converted to 3200m in 1973. In 1980 the Sydney Cup was elevated to Group 1 status.

The event has gone by a number of different names over the years including the Randwick Grand Handicap, Randwick Grand Handicap Sweepstakes and the Sydney Gold Cup.

In 2017 the Sydney Cup was run on April 8, but declared a No Race after the fall of Almoonqith. It ran for a second time a fortnight later with the same horse, UK raider Polarisation, first past the post again.

In 2018 Who Shot Thebarman made history winning the Sydney Cup as a nine-year-old at his fifth attempt in the two mile classic.

Sydney Cup Records
Time Record:	3:19.0 set by Apollo Eleven in 1973 and equalled by Just A Dancer in 1991.
Most Heavily Weighted Winner (since 1970):	My Good Man with 60kg in 1978.
Lightest Weighted Winner (since 1970):	Palace Revolt with 48.5kg in 1989.

Recent Sydney Cup Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2020 Sydney Cup	1st	Etah James	3 minutes 28.46 seconds
	2nd	The Chosen One
	3rd	Raheen House
2019 Sydney Cup	1st	Shraaoh	3 minutes 22.06 seconds
	2nd	Vengeur Masque
	3rd	Glory Days
2018 Sydney Cup	1st	Who Shot Thebarman	3 minutes 20.04 seconds
	2nd	Zacada
	3rd	Sir Charles Road
2017 Sydney Cup	1st	Polarisation	3 minutes 29.16 seconds
	2nd	Who Shot Thebarman
	3rd	Big Duke
2016 Sydney Cup	1st	Gallante	3 minutes 24.5 seconds
	2nd	Libran
	3rd	Grand Marshal
2015 Sydney Cup	1st	Grand Marshal	3 minutes 24.70 seconds
	2nd	Who Shot Thebarman
	3rd	Like A Carousel
2014 Sydney Cup	1st	The Offer	3 minutes 23.86 seconds
	2nd	Opinion
	3rd	Sertorius
2013 Sydney Cup	1st	Niwot	3 minutes 20.4 seconds
	2nd	Efficient
	3rd	Once Were Wild
2012 Sydney Cup	1st	Mourayan	3 minutes 24.29 seconds
	2nd	Norsqui
	3rd	Aliyana Tide
2011 Sydney Cup	1st	Stand To Gain	3 minutes 29.1 seconds
	2nd	Older Than Time
	3rd	Solid Billing
2010 Sydney Cup	1st	Jessicabeel	3 minutes 21.86 seconds
	2nd	Divine Rebel
	3rd	Harris Tweed
2009 Sydney Cup	1st	Ista Kareem	3 minutes 27.4 seconds
	2nd	Divine Rebel
	3rd	Mr Tipsy
2008 Sydney Cup	1st	No Wine No Song	3 minutes 25.5 seconds
	2nd	Pentathon
	3rd	Lang
2007 Sydney Cup	1st	Gallic	3 minutes 27.3 seconds
	2nd	Irazu
	3rd	No Wine No Song
2006 Sydney Cup	1st	County Tyrone	3 minutes 22.6 seconds
	2nd	Zabeat
	3rd	Three Chimneys
2005 Sydney Cup	1st	Mahtoum	3 minutes 27.6 seconds
	2nd	County Tyrone
	3rd	Philosophe
2004 Sydney Cup	1st	Makybe Diva	3 minutes 21.1 seconds
	2nd	Manawa King
	3rd	Mummify
2003 Sydney Cup	1st	Honor Babe	3 minutes 30.5 seconds
	2nd	County Tyrone
	3rd	Grey Song
2002 Sydney Cup	1st	Henderson Bay	3 minutes 26.7 seconds
	2nd	Mr. Prudent
	3rd	Spirit Of Westbury
2001 Sydney Cup	1st	Mr. Prudent	3 minutes 26.9 seconds
	2nd	Prophet’s Kiss
	3rd	Starina
2000 Sydney Cup	1st	Streak	3 minutes 30.3 seconds
	2nd	Sharscay
	3rd	Ears’ Ronny