The newly rescheduled 2019 Sydney Cup is a Group 1 race held on the 13th April at Royal Randwick Racecourse. The Sydney Cup was traditionally held on the final weekend of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but from 2014 and beyond the Group 1 event will be held on the second weekend of The Championships along with the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) and Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m). The Sydney Cup is run over a distance of 3,200 metres under open handicap conditions and with $1,600,000 in prize money draws some of the best stayers in Australia.

The first Sydney Cup was run back in 1862 when Talleyrand won the race. Originally run over a distance of 16 furlongs, the official distance was changed to 3,200 metres after the introduction of the metric system in 1973. The race was initially run as a Principal race,  but was elevated to Group 1 level in 1980. A

Apollo Eleven (1973) and Just A Dancer (1991) currently share the record for the fastest Sydney Cup time, winning the race in a time of 3 minutes and 19 seconds, while My Good Man holds the record for carrying the heaviest weight to victory; taking out the 1978 edition of the race with 60 kilograms on her back. Palace Revolt was the lightest weighted Sydney Cup winner; carrying the light weight of 48.5 kilograms when she won the race in 1989.

The Chairman’s Quality (2600m), which is held a fortnight before the Sydney Cup, is often used as a key guide for Sydney Cup betting. Many horses, including King Aussie (1990), Linesman (1997), Henderson Bay (2002), No Wine No Song (2008) and Jessicabeel (2010) have completed the Chairmans Handicap and Sydney Cup double. Successful runners in the Sydney Cup often go on to partake in Australia’s richest race; the Melbourne Cup, with champion mare Makybe Diva the last horse to win the Sydney Cup and Melbourne Cup in the same year. Other champion horses that have won the Sydney Cup include Carbine (1889-90), Galilee (1967), Kingston Town (1980) and Tie The Knot (1998-99).

The Sydney Cup has been significantly overshadowed by the Melbourne Cup in recent times; with the Melbourne Cup becoming a truly global event that is followed by racing enthusiasts from right around the World. The Sydney Cup is yet to be targeted by European-trained stayers, but Australian Turf Club officials are hoping that the boost in prize money to the entire Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival will lead to some foreign raiders being included in the field for the Group 1 event.

Sydney Cup Field

The Sydney Cup field can feature a maximum of 20 runners, but in recent years the race has failed to draw a capacity field. The 2002 Sydney Cup, won by Henderson Bay, was the last edition of the race that featured twenty runners and in 2013 only ten stayers were included in the Sydney Cup field. It is generally not particularly difficult to get a horse in the Sydney Cup field, but the winners of the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m), Group 1 The BMW (2600m) and Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) receive ballot exempt entry into the $1 million event.

2019 Sydney Cup Field

The 2019 Sydney Cup field can be seen below.

2019 Sydney Cup Nominations, Weights & First Acceptances

The 2019 Sydney Cup First Acceptances are published here.

Sydney Cup Winners & ResultsMany talented horses have won the Sydney Cup since its inaugural running and below you will find a list of winners since 2000.