Kelinni strengthened his hold on favouritism for the Sydney Cup with victory in the JRA Plate, but history is against the winners of that race as a lead-up to the Group One staying test.

The only horse to do the double in recent times was Tie The Knot in 1999 with the Chairman's Quality a week earlier the more reliable guide.

The Chris Waller-trained Kelinni is the $3.80 favourite ahead of Maluckyday ($6), an eye-catching close-up sixth in the BMW, while Chairman's winner Tremec and runner-up Blood Brotha share the third line of betting at $10.

Unheralded before his first Sydney race, New Zealander Blood Brotha was sent out at $101 and ran Tremec to a half neck over 2600 metres.

His trainer Ray Connors is confident the tough stayer can make his presence felt again at Randwick.

"He won the New Zealand Cup over 3200 metres so he will stay the distance," Connors said.

"He also won the Wellington Cup and I wasn't surprised to see him do so well."

The Wellington Cup in January was been reduced to 2400 metres and downgraded to Group Two a few years ago leaving the Auckland Cup as the only Group One race over the Melbourne Cup distance in New Zealand, a traditional breeding ground for stayers.

That is changing with Kelinni one of an army of stayers Waller has sourced as tried horses from Europe.

He finished fourth in last year's Melbourne Cup after qualifying for the race by winning the Lexus three days earlier.

That has given Waller confidence the seven-day back-up will cause no concerns.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained import Julienas is at $11 for the Saturday's Cup after being sent to the barrier trials following his failure in the Chairman's in which he finished 35 lengths last.

Julienas won the trial at Randwick on Friday and stewards lifted the ban on Monday.