Big Duke has emerged as the most likely candidate to give premier Melbourne trainer Darren Weir his first Group One victory in Sydney.
The stayer became Weir's his first Sydney winner in last month's Gr. 3 Manion Cup and notched another at Group Two level in yesterday's Chairman's Handicap to surge to the top of the Sydney Cup market.
The Irish-bred five-year-old is now at $2.80 ahead of Assign at $6 and English visitor Penglai Pavilion, who sares the next line at $8 with veteran Who Shot Thebarman.
Penglai Pavilion's Charlie Appleby-trained stablemate Polarisation missed a scheduled start in the Chairman's Handicap because of a hock issue and will have to rely on luck to make the field for next Saturday's 3200-metre race.
