An all-star line up will contest the final day of the 2013 BMW Sydney Carnival, Schweppes Sydney Cup Day at Royal Randwick this Saturday, 27 April.
A field of 11 will take up the challenge of the 3,200m trip in the day’s feature, the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Sydney Cup including reigning Sydney Cup winner Niwot (Kerrin McEvoy) from the Hawkes yard and stable mate Maluckyday (Dwayne Dunn) who will start on the second line of betting with TAB Fixed Odds at $4.40.
Chris Waller-trained Kelinni (Jim Cassidy) will be looking for back-to-back wins when he contests the two-mile race after claiming Japan Racing Association Plate last weekend. The five-year-old gelding has opened as the race favourite at $3.20.
Guelph (Kerrin McEvoy) has opened as the short-priced favourite of $2.60 in the 150th anniversary of the heralded Group 1 $400,000 Moet & Chandon Stakes. The daughter of Exceed and Excel will be looking for a Group 1 winning double when she faces the starter over the classic Royal Randwick mile following a strong win in the Inglis Sires Produce Stakes on David Jones Australian Derby Day.
Anthony Cummings-trained Scandiva (Peter Robl) will be the likely threat in the race after finishing a solid second to Guelph in the same race a fortnight ago. The filly currently boasts an impressive two wins in her short five start career.
Four individual Group 1 winners will line up in the Group 1 $400,000 Yarraman Park All Aged Stakes where all eyes will be on the battle between multiple Group 1 winning queen of the turf More Joyous (Gai Waterhouse – Nash Rawiller) versus the half-brother to champion mare Black Caviar, All Too Hard (Hawkes – Dwayne Dunn).
More Joyous narrowly leads the betting at $2.40 after coming home strongly after being boxed in during the Inglis Queen of the Turf Stakes on 6 April. All Too Hard sits at $2.60.
2012 Melbourne Cup runner-up Fiorente (Tommy Berry) and proven eight-year-old veteran Rangirangdoo (Hugh Bowman) will also take their place in the field of eight.
The first race gets underway at 12.25pm and gates open to the public at 11.00am. The rail will be in the +6m Entire Circuit and the track is currently rated a Slow 6.
Source : Australian Turf Club