Charlie Appleby’s first-past-the-post in the unofficial Sydney Cup 2017 results from earlier in the month, Polarisation has ed a vet check and is fit to run in the rescheduled two mile classic this Saturday.
Big Duke remains favourite in Sydney Cup 2017 odds for the rerun at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
On April 8 the horror fall of the ill-fated Almoonqith at the turn out of the straight the first time saw the $2 million Group 1 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick declared a no race.
The event will be rerun this weekend and Polarisation will get another shot at officially winning the autumn showdown after the Godolphin-raced raider was cleared by Racing NSW chief veterinarian Dr Craig Suann on Tuesday.
Echo Of Light five-year-old Polarisation was found to be suffering heat in his off-fore fetlock t over the weekend.
The gelding subsequently galloped to the satisfaction of Dr Suann during a piece of trackwork at Canterbury however and will be lining-up in the Sydney Cup field on Saturday.
The Newmarket-based Appleby will also re-saddle his other runner in the abandoned race, third-placed Penglai Pavilion, looking to net a similar result to that of the voided edition of the staying clash.
Current all-in Sydney Cup odds remain led by the original favourite, the Darren Weir-trained Big Duke ($3.20) who jockey Craig Williams is appealing a suspension to ride.
The Appleby stablemates Penglai Pavilion ($5) and Polarisation ($7) are the next two best in pre-field Sydney Cup betting followed by Crown Oaks winning Lasqueti Spirit ($9).
Bobby El-Issa will jump aboard last start ATC Oaks third placed Lasqueti Spirit in the Sydney Cup this weekend as the Lee Curtis-trained filly looks to be the first three-year-old winner of the race since Tie The Knot (1998).
Eleven of the original Sydney Cup runners are entered for the rerun along with five new additions led by Lasqueti Spirit and Lindsay Park’s Saturday winner at Caulfield over the weekend Boom Time.
Another late addition to the line-up is the John Sargent-trained NZ St Leger winner Rock On who ran third to Big Duke in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) at the Randwick track on April 1.
That was the four-year-old Kiwi expat’s first run down under and he could now contest the Sydney Cup as the galloper continues to get accustomed to racing in Australia ahead of a 2017 Melbourne Cup bid in the spring.
Rock On is fighting for a spot in the 14-starter Sydney Cup field along with Harlem and Self Sense.
The Sydney Cup 2017 final acceptances close at 9:00am (AEST) on Wednesday morning and will be followed by updated odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.
