The rescheduled Sydney Cup 2017 field has been confirmed with a capacity fourteen starters plus two emergencies accepted for the two mile classic at Royal Randwick.
Lasqueti Spirit is one of the new editions to the 2017 Sydney Cup field this weekend at Randwick. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
There are three new gallopers guaranteed a run in the $2 million Group 1 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) on Saturday that did not take part in the abandoned first edition of the event that was marred by the race fall of Almoonqith and Who Shot Thebarman.
The standout new acceptor is the Lee Curtis-trained filly Lasqueti Spirit who is the sole three-year-old taking on the older stayers in the handicap feature.
Winner of Flemington’s Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) in the spring, the daughter of Beneteau gets into the Sydney Cup on just 51.5kg and has jockey Bobby El-Issa jumping aboard for the first time.
She was last seen finishing third to Bonneval in the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) on the same day as the no-race Sydney Cup a fortnight ago and sees two miles for the first time this weekend.
Also lining-up in the Sydney Cup rerun having missed the original race are the Lindsay Park-trained duo of Harlem and last Saturday’s Caulfield winner Boom Time.
Retaining favouritism in the Sydney Cup betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au drawn barrier two, a gate that produced back-to-back winners with Niwot (2012) and Mourayan (2013) in recent years, is the Darren Weir-trained Big Duke.
The son of Raven’s comes back from the 58kg he carried to a commanding two length win in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) on April 1 to just 52kg this weekend.
Jockey Craig Williams has appealed a careless riding suspension and is on standby to retain the ride on the Sydney Cup favourite on Saturday.
The two Godolphin-raced English raiders for UK horseman Charlie Appleby, Polarisation and Penglai Pavilion, are also back for a second shot.
The duo ran first and third respectively in the voided Sydney Cup results after just a handful of runners continued through until the winning post.
Fourth past the post in the no-race was Stuart Webb’s recent Group 2 Adelaide Cup winner over the 3200m Annus Mirabilis.
Webb confirmed this week the galloper would be lining-up for another go at the Sydney Cup, but with jockey Katelyn Mallyon riding in Melbourne on Saturday a new hoop is still to be confirmed.
“I will definitely be accepting with the intention of running and he got through the run better than I thought,” Webb told The Daily Telegraph.
“He was only three or four lengths [off Polarisation].
“I took confidence from the no-race and I took confidence that he won easily in the Adelaide Cup [over the same distance].
“But I am mindful he has now had an Adelaide Cup, a Sydney Cup and now has had two trips away and we’re fronting up again.”
Unharmed after his fall, Who Shot Thebarman carries 57kg top weight again and is ed in the field again by the fellow Chris Waller-trained Libran and Kinema.
See below for the full Sydney Cup 2017 field, barriers, jockeys and weights with updated odds to be released shortly at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2017 Sydney Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw
Randwick Race 8 (3:35pm) – 22/04/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 527255×364 | WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) | Chris Waller | Blake Shinn | 15 | 57kg | 108 |
| 2 | 41112×8746 | LIBRAN (IRE) | Chris Waller | Brenton Avdulla | 12 | 56.5kg | 107 |
| 3 | 02303×3771 | TALLY | John O’Shea | Tommy Berry | 1 | 55kg | 105 |
| 4 | x311151651 | BOOM TIME | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Cory Parish | 11 | 53.5kg | 101 |
| 5 | 450×423124 | CHANCE TO DANCE (IRE) | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Christian Reith | 5 | 53kg | 100 |
| 6 | 1×42112111 | BIG DUKE (IRE) | Darren Weir | Craig Williams | 2 | 52kg | 104 |
| 7 | 1x92384x38 | HARLEM (GB) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Chad Schofield | 9 | 52kg | 101 |
| 8 | 0x77113510 | ANNUS MIRABILIS (IRE) | Stuart Webb | TBA | 6 | 52kg | 98 |
| 9 | 0100×60530 | MISTER IMPATIENCE (GB) | Michael Moroney | Jay Ford | 7 | 52kg | 98 |
| 10 | 3x0x85x10x | PENGLAI PAVILION (USA) | Charlie Appleby | Kerrin McEvoy | 16 | 52kg | 98 |
| 11 | 70x41x7545 | KINEMA (IRE) | Chris Waller | Tim Clark | 14 | 52kg | 97 |
| 12 | 8241×02753 | LASQUETI SPIRIT | Lee Curtis | Bobby El-Issa | 10 | 51.5kg | 103 |
| 13 | 67379×9786 | PENTATHLON (NZ) | John Wheeler | 13 | 51.5kg | 93 | |
| 14 | 38x2x20x4x | POLARISATION (GB) | Charlie Appleby | Corey Brown | 8 | 51.5kg | 88 |
| 15e | 5213412413 | ROCK ON (NZ) | John Sargent | Jeff Penza | 3 | 51.5kg | 88 |
| 16e | 239×668564 | SELF SENSE | David Brideoake | TBA | 4 | 51.5kg | 87 |
