High class English stayer Red Cadeaux has drawn the outside of the twelve horse field in the Group 1 $1.6m Schweppes 150th Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on the second day of ‘The Championships’ on Saturday.
Red Cadeaux has drawn the outside gate in the twelve horse Sydney Cup field at Randwick. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The Ed Dunlop trained Red Cadeaux is also an acceptor in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on the same day and connections will make a decision later in the week what race he will contest.
Stable representative Robin Trevor-Jones said the weather would be a deciding factor if Red Cadeaux will stick to the 2000m of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes or step back up to the 3200m of the Sydney Cup.
“This horse is very effective on soft ground especially over shorter trips and there is a massive pot involved and we put this to the owner and the trainer is thinking about it and it is something we have to think about,” Trevor-Jones said.
“It is genuine soft ground. How much it will dry over the week we are gambling on and it will be their call later in the day.”
The first day of ‘The Championships’ was postponed from last Saturday to Monday after Randwick received a soaking all week but this week’s forecast is looking better with only a few showers predicted leading up to the weekend.
Red Cadeaux has shown his liking for 2000m with a second in the 2013 Group 1 World Cup at Meydan in Dubai but is generally regarded as a stayer after running second on three occasions in the 2011, 2013, 2014 Melbourne Cups, last year behind Protectionst.
Red Cadeaux has had one run in Australia this Autumn Carnival for a fifth to Spillway in the Group 1 $1m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 14 and Hugh Bowman will take the ride if he goes around in the Sydney Cup.
The Kris Lees trained Protectionist has drawn near the inside at barrier two for the Sydney Cup and also used the Australian Cup as a lead up to Saturday’s staying contest.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Proectionist was always well back in the field when eighth to Spillway and then showed some improvement when fifth to Hartnell in the Group 1 $1.5m The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on March 28.
Hartnell with Tommy Berry to ride is also heading to the Sydney Cup and has drawn midfield at seven while Who Shot Thebarman with Blake Shinn to tide has drawn barrier ten.
Tommy Berry has a great chance to keep the Group 1 winners coming with the John O’Shea trained Hartnel who is a winner at his last two starts including his most recent in The BMW.
Berry has been one of the stars of the Sydney Autumn Carnival with wins on Vancouver in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21 and a win on Monday on Chautauqua in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
Doncaster Mile winning jockey Glen Boss is looking for another Group 1 win over ‘The Championships’ in the Sydney Cup with the Tony McEvoy trained Big Memory who drew the rails.
Hong Kong galloper Dominant drew barrier five with super star jockey Joao Moreira to ride while the Peter Moody trained Au Revoir came up with gate nine with Kerrin McEvoy booked to ride.
The remainder of the Sydney Cup field has Akzar at barrier eleven, Like A Carousel at six, Renew at three, Grand Marshall at four and Don Doremo at eight.
