Sydney Cup facts and figures

SYDNEY CUP

3200m, $2 million, handicap at Randwick

HISTORY

* Sydney’s premier staying event first run in 1866 when won by Yattendon

* Honour roll includes: The Barb (1868-69), Carbine (1889-90), Wakeful (1902), Eurythmic (1921), Rogilla (1933), Sailor’s Guide (1956), Sharply (1961), Galilee (1967), Reckless (1977), Double Century (1979), Kingston Town (1980), Our Paddy Boy (1981), Tie The Knot (1998-99), Makybe Diva (2004), Mourayan (2013) and Polarisation (2017)

* Tie The Knot was the most recent three-year-old winner (1998)

* Dan Lewis is the leading trainer with five wins

* The 2017 edition had to be run twice after Almoonqith broke down past the the post the first time around and the race was abandoned with Polarisation leading. It was re-run a fortnight later and Polarisation won again

TALKING POINTS

* The Sydney Cup and the Melbourne Cup are now the only two races in Australia still run at Group One level over 3200 metres

* Chris Waller trained the quinella in 2015 when Grand Marshal tipped out Who Shot Thebarman.

* Who Shot Thebarman, a two-time runner up, is one of four runners for Waller this year

* The field is stacked with international raiders including Japanese stayer Pre Stwick and New Zealanders Five To Midnight, Zacada and Sir Charles Road

* Kerrin McEvoy (Aloft) and Corey Brown (Peribsen) will be aiming to equal the record of three wins as jockey currently held by eight others including Jim Cassidy and Neville Sellwood

KEY COMMENTS

“In the Melbourne Cup we were probably a little bit conservative trying to get her to run the 3200. We’ll let her be followed this time and if she’s good enough, she’s good enough” Single Gaze’s jockey Kathy O’Hara

“Physically he looks so much better and he hates a wet track. Last year was a complete wash-out” – Harry Herbert, syndicate manager of Libran

“Although he’s double figure odds, on paper and from what I’ve viewed I thought he’d be a lot shorter” Peribsen’s jockey Corey Brown