The 2014 Sydney Cup field has been released; with tough three-year-old Tupac Amaru set to contest the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The Offer is one of two Gai Waterhouse-trained stayers that have been included in the 2014 Sydney Cup field. Photo by: Steve Hart

Tupac Amaru showed his staying credentials with a fighting second behind Criterion in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday and trainer Peter Snowden has elected to give the Street Cry colt the opportunity to become the first three-year-old since Tie The Knot in 1998 to win the Sydney Cup.

Leading Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse has not tasted success in the Sydney Cup since Linesman won the race in 1997, but she has an excellent chance of recording her second win in the feature staying event of the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

Leading the Waterhouse charge in the 2014 Sydney Cup is imported stayer The Offer, who is a clear favourite for the $1 million event after recording two dominant wins in his last two starts.

The Offer relished the heavy going in the Group 3 Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 29 and confirmed his favouritism for the race with a two and a half lengths win over Tremec and stablemate Hippopus, who will also contest the Sydney Cup, in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) on another rain affected track at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Chris Waller also has multiple runners in the 2014 Sydney Cup field, with imported stayer Brigantin and Opinion chasing their first Group 1 wins, while Nigel Blackiston will be represented by both Let’s Make Adeal and Desert Jeuney.

Imported Irish stayer Voleuse De Coeurs will carry the top-weight of 58 kilograms in the Sydney Cup, following the retirement of Fiorente and the withdrawal of Macedon Lodge-trained duo of Green Moon and Mourayan, and she is chasing her maiden race win in Australia in the staying event.

Voleuse De Coeurs made her Australian racing debut with a tenth place finish in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5 last year and she started her autumn campaign with a fifth place finish in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at the same venue on March 8, but was slightly disappointing in the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5.

Sertorius finished ahead of Voleuse De Coeurs in The BMW and will receive some weight relief when he carries 56 kilograms in the Sydney Cup on Saturday.

The Galileo gelding appeared right on track for the 2014 Sydney Cup, but he did not handle the heavy track in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) at Royal Randwick and trainer Jamie Edwards said that the six-year-old would not contest the 3200 metre event if the track was in the same condition this weekend.

One of the most interesting runners in the 2014 Sydney Cup field is New Zealand-trained Who Shot Thebarman, who will make his Group 1 event when he has his second straight start over 3200 metres this weekend.

Who Shot Thebarman made his debut at Group level with a second place finish in the Group 3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) at Awapuni on December 21 before taking out the Group 2 Avondale Gold Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie on February 15 and the Group 1 Auckland Cup (3200m) at the same venue on March 5.

Other key runners in the 2014 Sydney Cup field include the Pat Carey-trained duo of Gondokoro and Angola, veteran gelding Macedonian, consistent mare Epingle and Chairman’s Handicap runner-up Tremec.

2014 Sydney Cup Field