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Trainer Kris Lees has mapped out different programs for his Sydney Cup contenders Red Cardinal and Big Duke in the run up to the $2 million staying test at Randwick on April 13.

Red Cardinal and Big Duke put themselves squarely in the frame for the Sydney Cup when they fought out the finish of the Parramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on February 23.

Both horses, raced by Australian Bloodstock syndicates, were having their first start for Lees after joining his team from the Darren Weir stable.

It was a stunning opening with Red Cardinal surging home over the top of his stablemate in his first start since he beat one home in last year’s Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

Red Cardinal travelled the world in his earlier days when trained first in the UK by David Simcock and then Germany by Andreas Wohler.

He raced in the UK, Germany, France and the US, racking up G2 and G3 wins and a G1 placing, before landing in Australia to contest the 2017 Melbourne Cup when trained by Wohler.

The gelded 7YO son of Montjeu finished 11th behind Rekindling and was then left in Australia with Weir, recording one placing, in the AJC St Leger at Randwick, in six starts last spring for the now banned trainer.

Big Duke also started his career in the UK, winning one of his first four starts, before joining the Weir stable in 2016 after he was acquired by an Australian Bloodstock.

The rising 8YO won five times for Weir including the G2 ATC Chairman’s Quality, G3 Manion Cup and G3 Launceston Cup and was placed in both the G1 Sydney Cup and G1 ATC Metropolitan last year.

Big Duke also impressed in the Parramatta Cup, making his run with Red Cardinal over the last 300m in his first start since he failed in the Moonee Valley Cup last October.

Big Duke takes his next step towards another Sydney Cup tilt at Randwick on Saturday in the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m) while Red Cardinal won’t run again until the G3 Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday week.

Big Duke and Red Cardinal are favorably weighted in the Sydney with each receiving 53kg.

The $1.5 milion Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill on March 30 and $300,000 Chairman’s Quality (2400m) at Randwick on April 6 are races Lees will use as their lead-ups to the Sydney Cup (3200m).

Meanwhile Lees is considering backing up his filly Miss Fabulass against the colts in Saturday’s $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick.

“I’ll decide before acceptances on Wednesday morning, but there’s a chance she could run,” he said.

“She kept coming to the line and was only three lengths from the winner in the Surround Stakes at Randwick last Saturday after we had to ride her conservatively from her wide draw.”

Lees was delighted with the close third by stablemate El Dorado Dreaming in the Surround Stakes (1400m) and will now take the G1-winning filly to the $600,000 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill on Saturday week.

Lees said his classy colt Gem Song, withdrawn from last Saturday’s Liverpool City Cup at Randwick, will trial at Wyong next Tuesday as he continues his interrupted autumn campaign.

Lees has brought Star Reflection back from his Gold Coast stable to run in the G3 Wenona Girl Quality (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.