Top Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman claimed his second Group 1 winner for the day when tough stayer Mourayan took out the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick today.

Mourayan and Hugh Bowman wins the Sydney Cup at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Bowman won earlier in the day on Reliable Man in the Group 1 $500,000 Santos Coffee Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and produced another first class ride on the Lloyd Hickmott trainer Mourayan.

Bowman had the seven year old travelling smoothly with the blinkers off and after tracking favourite Kelinni to the top of the straight was able to ease into the clear and draw away from Norsqui to score by three quarters of a length with Aliyana Tilde battling on for third.

Owners Lloyd and Nick Williams and Bowman teamed up in last year’s Melbourne Cup when Mourayan finihsied seventh to stablemate Green Moon and Bowman is happy the association has continued

“I got down to ride this horse on the minimum weight, fifty-three and a half in the Melbourne Cup,” Bowman said.

“To win a big race on him means a hell of a lot.”

“He travelled a bit kinder for me today without the blinkers. Lloyd’s had this race in mind. He wasn’t quite up to the Melbourne Cup, they were too good in the Spring.”

The Chris Waller trained Kelinni was sent out the $2.60 favourite after carrying 60kg to victory last week in the Listed $100,000 Brookfield Multiplex Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) at Randwick.

But after having a good run in the early stages was under urgings from Jim Cassidy coming to the home turn and only plodded in the straight to end up in sixth spot.

Mourayan started at the good odds of $12 with runner-up Norsqui at $21 with Aliyana Tilde making it a longshot trifecta at $16.