Darren Weir‘s stayer Master Of Arts is on track for the 2018 Sydney Cup with a solid win in the Group 3 $150,000 Irresistible Pools & Spas N E Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill today.

Master Of Arts, above in red and white colours, wins the N E Manion Cup at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Master Of Arts ($8.50) handed the wet conditions to perfection and when Damian Lane produced him in the straight, the six year old year surged to the front at the 200m to record a tough win.

Tommy Berry brought the Chris Waller trained Alward ($5 equal favourite) from the tail of the field to run second just in front of Craig Williams’ mount Peribsen ($10).

Jarrod McLean, who was representing the Darren Weir stable, said that Master Of Arts will now stay at the stable’s Newcastle base and will be set for the Group 2 $300,000 Schweppes Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick on April 7 before tackling the 3200m of the Group 1 $2m Schweppes Sydney Cup at Randwick on April 14.

Connections of Master Of Arts made the decision to head to Sydney and miss the Group 2 $400,000 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on March 12 and the six year old is now a $21 chance, in form $67, for the Sydney Cup with Ladbrokes.com.au.

“It was the right decision by the Paul Fudge and the owners to miss the Adelaide Cup after drawing the wide barrier they opted to come here,” McLean said.

“A peach of a ride (by Damian Lane) here today to get the job done.

“The Chairman’s is in a couple of weeks and then a week into the Sydney Cup.”

“He is up here now. We have a nice little base at Newcastle right on the beach so looking forward to being up for the next few weeks.”

Equal favourite Patrick Erin ($5) made up some ground in the straight to finish fifth.