Robbie Laing almost pulled off an unlikely win when Lord Of The Sky took on the world's best sprinters in the TJ Smith Stakes.

The Victorian trainer will be trying to go one better with Don Doremo who takes on one of the classiest fields assembled for the Sydney Cup for some years.

Lord Of The Sky, a $21 chance in Monday's TJ Smith Stakes, was run down near the post by Chautauqua to miss out by a nose.

Don Doremo is at $26 for Saturday's Sydney Cup (3200m) with English import Hartnell the $2.20 favourite ahead of Who Shot Thebarman ($4.20) and Protectionist ($5), third and first respectively in the Melbourne Cup.

"We almost pulled it off in the TJ," Laing said.

"Don Doremo is a promising stayer and is improving quickly this time around, so we might have a chance again.

"He is a big, old fashioned kind of kiwi stayer who will run all day and we set him for the race six months ago."

A lightly raced four-year-old by 2002 Australian Derby winner Don Eduardo, Don Doremo won a 2040m benchmark race at Moonee Valley on March 20.

Eight days later he ran third in the Mornington Cup behind Banca Mo and Sydney Cup opponent Big Memory.

Don Doremo was one of a consignment of horses Shergar Thoroughbreds sent to Laing's Cranbourne property from Mike Moroney's Flemington stable more than a year ago.

"The horses came to me in great order," Laing said.

"Don Doremo is the big improver.

"I don't know how he will handle a wet track but he's got big feet and that's usually a good sign.

"He should have won the Mornington Cup and I'm pretty sure he will have no problems with the 3200 metres."

The Sydney and Melbourne Cups are the only 3200 metre Group One races left on the Australian racing calendar.

This year the Sydney Cup has had a prize money boost to $1.6 million.

The one star missing from the race is three-time Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux.

The popular English horse will instead run in the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) with connections believing the shorter race is a better option on the predicted soft ground.