Royal Randwick played host to a monumental upset on Saturday as the Kris Lees-trained Changingoftheguard defied his massive price tag to secure a historic wire-to-wire victory in the 2026 Sydney Cup.

2026 Sydney Cup winner Changingoftheguard was huge leading all-the-way for an upset at $51. Photo: Bradley Photos.

In one of the nation’s final remaining two-mile tests, the Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) saw a remarkable resurgence from Lees’ rising eight-year-old.

The win marked the Galileo gelding’s first trip to the winner’s circle since September of last year and provided him with a breakthrough maiden Group victory.

Entering the race fourth-up following a string of uninspiring autumn runs, the dour stayer relished the significant rise in distance and the quick seven-day backup.

He showed immense improvement from his ninth-place finish in the Group 2 Chairman’s Quality on a rain-affected track just one week ago.

“He’s very tough,” winning jockey Jason Collett said.

“I think when Rachel King (on Newlook – 8th) came to me down the side and he didn’t throw in the towel I thought ‘that’s a change’.

“So, that definitely gives me a bit of confidence and it’s a long straight but it’s pretty cool to win a Sydney Cup.”

Ridden with precision by Collett, the stayer—who finished ninth in last year’s Melbourne Cup—refused to be headed, denying the Chris Waller-trained Soul Of Spain by a quarter-length.

The Phillip Stokes-trained Highland Bling, coming off an Adelaide Cup second, was equally impressive to round out the trifecta in third.

“Great run. At start 16 it feels like he’s got a stack of scope left,” jockey Ben Thompson said of the third-place finisher.

“To run third in this grade, off the back of a good second in the Adelaide Cup, he’s got a bright future.”

In a finish for the ages, Changingoftheguard ($51) carried 55.5kg to victory, becoming only the second horse since 2013 to win the race with more than 55kg.

He successfully fended off the late surge from the runner-up, who was forced to expend significant energy early from barrier 11.

“It’s a great thrill, to win in those colours too,” Lees said in the aftermath.

“What a lovely-rated ride, I thought he was actually going too slow.

“He got him back to 14 (second sectionals), he goes quicker in trackwork most mornings, but he upped the ante when they came up around him and it was really pleasing.”

Lees noted that age has brought a touch of gamesmanship to the gelding.

“As he’s gotten older, he’s a little bit cunning,” he said.

“He looks after himself when the tracks are wet. He held back last week, you could see he just didn’t have that same action that he’s normally got.”

Utilising barrier three to perfection, Collett took the initiative early.

Rather than tiring, the eventual champion found another gear at the top of the rise, holding off all challengers in a display of pure stamina.

The Newcastle-based trainer revealed that the addition of blinkers was a long-term strategy specifically designed for this race.

“We saved the blinkers, we said after the Melbourne Cup, he ran a bold race in the Melbourne Cup (9th), and we said we’ll save them for Sydney,” Lees explained.

“It was a good plan and happy to get the win. They were always going on; we were just trying to wait for today.”

2026 Sydney Cup Results

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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