Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist tops the nominations for the 2015 Group 1 $1.6m Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 11.

2014 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist tops the nominations for the 2015 Sydney Cup. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.

The European import was transferred to the Kris Lees stable after German trainer Andreas Wohler prepared the five year old to beat Red Cadeaux in the 2014 Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Protectionist is one of four stayers Lees has nominated for the Sydney Cup with a total of ninety-one horses entered for the two mile staying feature on the second day of ‘The Championships’.

Lees says that last start Doomben winner Artibai is a promising stayer but restricted class galloper Ay No Digas will have to keep improving if he is to make into the final while European import Doukhan is yet to have a start in Australia.

Protectionist was also nominated for the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on the same as the Sydney Cup and Lees is still to lock in an Autumn Carnival program but the Monsun stallion showed that he is ready to kick off his campaign with an impressive barrier trial win at Newcastle on February 2.

“He didn’t have long off and we kept him in light work the whole way through,” Lees told Sky Racing.

“He is probably 15 kilos heavier than what he raced in the Melbourne Cup and he was out the back in the trial and made good ground from the 600 to the 150 and Hughie gave him an easy time from there.

“He won the trial and it was a nice enough trial and he had a really good blow after it.”

Three times Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux is set to return to Australia to compete at ‘The Championships’ and the top English stayer has also been nominated for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Last year’s Melbourne Cup third placegetter Who Shot Thebarman is one of ten stayers from the Chris Waller stable and heads his team of Bagman, Beaten Up, Danjeu, Gosh, Grand Marshall, Junoob, Opinion, Our Voodoo Prince and Permit.

Gai Waterhouse has only nominated four with Projectile, Queenstown, Sesentum and Greatwood her only chances for the stable to defend the trophy after winning the 2014 Sydney Cup with Irish import The Offer.

Au Revoir could be another European import capable of winning the Sydney Cup with the Peter Moody trained stayer taking out the Group 2 $350,000 Deadly Design Zipping Classic (2400m) at Sandown towards the end of the 2014 Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Moody has also nominated Koroibete, Rodway, Sir John Hawkwood, Vatuvei, Wish Come True and Zimbali.

Group 3 Auckland Cup winner Delago’s Secret from the stables of New Zealand trainer Roger James has been nominated from the Sydney Cup along with his stablemate The Tidy Express.

Trainer Henry Dwyer has nominated last season’s Queensland Derby winner Sontagg while John O’Shea has nominated five for Godolphin, Hartnell, Havana Cooler, It’s Somewhat, Lassitude and Rupac Amaru.

Trainer Tony McEvoy will have two strong chances with Big Memory and Le Roi two of his five Sydney Cup nominations, with Last Wish, Lucky Lucky Lucky and Pelicano also entered.

Final acceptances and barrier draw for the Sydney Cup will be on Tuesday, April 7, 2015.

2015 Group 1 Sydney Cup Nominations