Racing: Offer stays favourite

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The Offer has maintained Sydney Cup favouritism after the barrier draw with confirmation the Group One staying test is almost certain to be run on a rain-affected track.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained The Offer, winner of last Saturday's Chairman's Handicap in heavy going, remained a $2.80 favourite after coming up with barrier eight.

The Offer has four wins and a placing from five heavy track starts.

"I think the best we could get to is probably a slow track," Randwick track manager Nevesh Ramdhani said.

Sertorius firmed from $9 to $8 after coming up with barrier three but co-trainer Jamie Edwards will monitor the track condition just as much as his horse before confirming a start.

The Zipping Classic winner has had the grounding for the 3200m, coming off a fourth in the Group One BMW and the same placing in last Saturday's Chairman's Handicap.

But the Chairman's Handicap run showed Edwards' Sertorius wasn't at his best in genuinely heavy going while The Offer relished the conditions.

"I think if it's a heavy track, Gai Waterhouse's horse [The Offer] will start a very short-priced favourite and probably win accordingly," Edwards said.

The Peter Snowden-trained three-year-old Tupac Amaru, second in the Australian Derby, has barrier nine.

- AAP