The Australian Cup is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, held under Weight for Age conditions, over a distance of 2000 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in March during the VRC Autumn Racing Carnival. Total prize money for the race is A$3,000,000.

History

The race was once Australia's premier long distance race, raced at a distance of 18 furlongs (3621m) - thus, longer than the Melbourne Cup. In 1943 the race was shortened 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. The VRC in the early 1960s shortened the distance to 1 1/4 miles to attract classier middle distance gallopers. Stakes were increased from $1 million to $1.5 million in 2016.

Distance

Conditions

Grade

Venue

In 2007 the race was run at Caulfield Racecourse due to refurbishment work at Flemington Racecourse.

Records

Makybe Diva won this race in 2005 in the Australian record time of 1:58:73, which beat Northerly's previous record. The most successful trainer has been Bart Cummings with thirteen wins – 1968, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2008. The most successful jockey is Tom Hales who won the Australian Cup eight times – Lurline (1875), Richmond (1876), Savanaka (1879), Navigator (1883), Morpeth (1884), Trident (1887), Carlyon (1888), Dreadnought (1890).

1954 racebook

Winners

† Dead heat ‡ Saladin and Flying Dutchman dead heated. After a re-run they dead heated again. On a second re-run Saladin was victorious.