Australian Cup
- For the defunct association football competition, see Australian Cup (football).
| Location |
Flemington Racecourse Melbourne, Australia |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1863 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Sponsor | Darley (2013) |
| Website | Flemington Racecourse |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2,000 metres |
| Track | Turf, left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds and up |
| Weight | Weight for Age |
| Purse | A$1,005,000 (2013) |
The Australian Cup is a Group 1 Weight for Age race for Thoroughbred racehorses run over 2000 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in March. Total prizemoney for the race is A$1,005,000.
Makybe Diva won this race in 2005 in the Australian record time of 1:58:73, which beat Northerly's previous record.
Race history
The race was once Australia's premier long distance race, raced at a distance longer than the Melbourne Cup. In 1943 the race was shorten to 17 furlongs 110 yards to allow the race to be started from the top of Flemington's famous Straight Six, to have bigger fields.[1]
The VRC in the early 1960s shortened the distance to 1¼ miles to attract classier middle distance gallopers.[1]
The most successful trainer has been Bart Cummings with thirteen wins[1] – 1968, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2008.[2]
The most successful jockey is Tom Hales who won the Australian Cup eight times[3] – Lurline (1875), Richmond (1876), Savanaka (1879), Navigator (1883), Morpeth (1884), Trident (1887), Carlyon (1888), Dreadnought (1890).[4]
In 2007 race was run at Caulfield Racecourse.[1]
Race distance
- 1863–1942 - 2¼ miles (~3627m)
- 1943–1962 – 2 miles 1½ furlongs (~3528m)
- 1963 - 1¾ miles (~2821m)
- 1964–1972 - 1¼ miles (~2015m)
- 1973 onwards - 2000 metres
Race conditions
- 1863–1978 - Handicap
- 1978–1981 - Weight for Age
- 1982–1986 - Handicap
- 1987 onwards - Weight for Age
Race grade
- 1863–1979 - Principal Race[5]
- 1979 onwards - Group 1
The winners
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† Dead heat
‡ Saladin and Flying Dutchman deadheated. After a re-run they deadheated again. On a second rerun Saladin was victorious.[16][18]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "The changing face of Australia’s Cup". Racing Victoria. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ↑ "Bart Cummings - Training Career". Bart Cummings official website. 2013.
- ↑ "Thomas Hales - Horse Racing". South Australia Hall of Fame Sportsmen (inducted 9 Dec 1986). Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ↑ "Facts about the Australian Cup". Australian Associated Press. justhorseracing.com. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ↑ "Winners and Past Results for the Australian Cup". Pro Group Racing Australia. 2012.
- ↑ 2013 result
- ↑ 2012 result
- ↑ 2011 result
- ↑ 2010 result
- ↑ 2009 result
- ↑ 2008 result
- ↑ 2007 result
- ↑ 2006 result
- ↑ 2005 result
- ↑ 1993 result
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Kennedy, Tony (11 March 1969). "Great Ride by Moore got Cyron Dead-Heat". The Age, Melbourne (Google News Archive (Digitize)). p. 26. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ↑ Tatiara (6 March 1912). "V.R.C AUTUMN MEETING. THE AUSTRALIAN CUP. A DEAD HEAT.". The Advertiser, Adelaide (Trove Digitized Newspapers). p. 6. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ↑ "Australian Cup (Official result and commentary)". The Age, Melbourne (Google News Archive (Digitize)). 9 March 1872. p. 4 (column 3). Retrieved 5 March 2013. "Third heat – Even betting. The pair ran locked together until close home, when the Dutchman failed, and Saladin won by half a neck."