The seven-year-old grey gelding has defied the odds just to make it into the field for only his 17^th race start.

"He's had a fair few issues over his journey - done a couple of suspensories and had a wind operation," Brunton explained.

"(Owner) Royston Carr put him away for a long time and thought about not trying him at all.

"Then he decided it would be a good idea to send him down to the beach and have him trained here.

"He's been a lovely horse to train and it would give me massive satisfaction to get a result for Royston."

Although the front-running Sir Simon is untried beyond 2100m, Brunton said his never-say-die nature would make him competitive over the 2400m journey.

"He doesn't mind letting them get up to him, then he turns on the after-burners," the trainer said.

"It is also in his favour that he's a far better horse on the Hobart track than anywhere else."

Sir Simon is also a superior wet-tracker - winning three of his four starts on soft ground and unbeaten on heavy - and will have conditions to suit.

He has remained solid at $26 since Hobart Cup betting opened.

Bookmakers give his higher-profile stablemate Mandela Effect a better chance at $8.

He is also unproven at the distance but has a great record on soft tracks.

Victorian-trained Barade holds his place at the top of the market

He has touched $5 with some of the corporates but was $4.80 across the board late on Cup Eve.

Victorian jockey Daniel Stackhouse has replaced South Australian-based Barend Vorster on the well-backed Classic Weiwei ($11 into $9).

The three other feature races on the program all have extremely short-priced favourites.

After three scratchings from the Bow Mistress, Deroche's price was slashed from $1.80 to $1.22; Mystic Journey is $1.50 for the Thomas Lyons and Hela $1.65 for the Strutt Stakes.

Greg Mansfield (Examiner): Classic Weiwei, Toorak Affair, Glass Warrior, Barade

Colin McNiff (racecaller): Sir Simon, Barade, Toorak Affair, Double You Tee

Duncan Dornauf (Tasracing): Barade, Double You Tee, Toorak Affair, Glass Warrior

Ron Riley (form student): Double You Tee, Barade, Toorak Affair, Sh'bourne Renegade

Nick Whelan (bookie): Sir Simon, Toorak Affair, Double You Tee, Sh'bourne Renegade