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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Ciaron Maher can understand why Mr Monaco is the most favoured of his three runners in Saturday’s Group 1 $2 million Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick but would like it if he has an easier run than in the lead up.

Trainer Ciaron Maher (Pic: Grant Guy).

The lightly raced five-year-old, $5 with TAB on Thursday, has only hit his straps in the last six months after having almost 12 months off the scene between leaving Europe and arriving into Maher’s care.

With a strong staying performance to win the Manion Cup (2400m) after a wide passage last month, Maher said on Sky Sports Radio he’s a horse on the way up who should relish two miles.

“He came over from Europe and he wasn’t going that well the last preparation and was able to win a race,’’ Maher said.

“I always had confidence he would improve a hell of a lot, just physically and in every way.”

Maher has Juja Kibo, who ran third in the Manion Cup and last week’s Chairmans, and Piggyback in the two mile contest but despite barrier 16 he rates Mr Monaco as his top seed.

He’s booked last week's Doncaster winning jockey Jamie Melham for the ride and if successful Melham would complete a rare double for a jockey to claim both the Sydney and Melbourne Cups in the same season.

The last to do it was Glen Boss on Makybe Diva in 2003/2004.

“I didn’t think there was a whole lot between them and I thought with the run Juja Kibo would have had his measure (in the Manion Cup) but he really showed his staying ability,’’ Maher said.

“He covered ground and was the strongest on the line. You can see why he’s the price he is, he’s got no weight and Jamie’s in form.

“You’d think looking at him and the rest of the field two miles is going suit him as much as anything else.”

Juja Kibo will be having his fourth run in just over a month having run third in the Randwick City Stakes, Manion Cup and Chairmans and Maher said he won’t be lacking in fitness.

The gelding also ran third in the Group 1 Metropolitan in the spring but he’s yet to be tested beyond the 2600m he covered last weekend.

“I think he is still taking some improvement,’’ he said.

“The Chairmans might just top him off, he just wasn’t quite there. No doubt he needs to find a bit but he’s had a pretty smooth week and the backup will suit.”

Blinkers will come off consistent mare Piggyback in an attempt to ensure she relaxes to run out the 3200m and she’s coming back from running at weight-for-age in the Tancred Stakes.

She ran fifth behind Aeliana in the Group 1 and Maher feels of his trio the draw favours her most.

“Back to the handicap grade is very much going to suit,’’ he said.

“She’s come through a tough run mile and a half and she’s thereabouts as well. I think there’s not a lot between the three.

“Piggyback might get the sweeter run and Zac (Lloyd) seems to be able to win on a broomstick at the moment.”

Maher has won three Sydney Cups in the past six years, Etah James (2020) and Explosive Jack (2023) in partnership with David Eustace plus Circle Of Fire in 2024.

Mr Monaco wins the Manion Cup

Ciaron Maher on Tempted (race 6): “She’s freshened up after her Group 1 win and I’d say she will be mighty hard to beat. There’s some nice progressive horses in the race but I’m very happy with her leading in.”

On Pride Of Jenni (race 8): “The mares race is the easier of the two, you wouldn’t say either of them are easy. It looked like there was a lot of pace in the Queen Elizabeth and maybe not so much in the mares race. She’s a marvel, she’s not like any other horse we have in the stable. You wouldn’t know she’s had two very solid runs, what she did first-up was bloody amazing really and then to back it up. From what I can see she’s come through well given how she ran."

All the fields, form and replays for Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday