Australian Cup

Australian Cup

Group One Betting Guide
Date: Saturday March 30, 2024
Location: Flemington Racecourse – Victoria, Australia
Prize Money: $3,000,000
Distance: 2000m

The Group 1 Australian Cup is one of the oldest races to be run and won over the years in Australia. First run in 1863, the race’s honour roll hosts several hall-of-famers, showing the class that is required to take out the staying event over 2000m.

The race was held over a variety of distances up to two miles until it was set at 2000m in 1973, which is where it has remained ever since.

It was granted Group 1 status in 1979.

The Australian Cup brings together some of the countries best stayers who are on track to compete in the Sydney Autumn Carnival.


2024 Australian Cup Betting Odds

Cascadian ridden by Ben Melham wins the 2023 Australian Cup at Flemington. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos)

The 2024 Australian Cup odds as of March 18 look like this:

  • Mr Brightside – +250
  • Pride Of Jenni – +350
  • Gold Trip – +500
  • Legarto – +500
  • Atishu – +700
  • Cascadian – +700

Complete Australian Cup odds available at Picklebet.


Best Australian Cup bookmakers

With the Australian Cup being one of the more time-honoured races in the country, it always attracts a quality field that punters can bet on with confidence.

Not only will Australian Cup betting markets go up earlier than previously anticipated, but the winner of the race will no doubt shorten for the Sydney Cup the following month.

The bookmakers below offer markets on the Australian Cup:

United States Sport Table

Sport Table


Latest Australian Cup News

Pride Of Jenni All Star Mile
Pride Of Jenni showcased her brilliance by clinching the $3.75 million All-Star Mile (1600m) in a captivating display at Caulfield ...
Legarto
Despite being defeated as a $1.20 favourite on Saturday, trainer Ken Kelso remains committed to aiming his talented mare Legarto ...
Young Werther Australian Cup Prelude
Five-time Group One placegetter Young Werther earned himself another shot at the elite level with a dominant front-running performance at ...
Chris Waller's Soulcombe ruled out of autumn carnival
Trainer Chris Waller announced that Melbourne Cup runner-up Soulcombe's autumn campaign has been derailed due to an unfortunate injury ...
'Interesting' Makram hunting further autumn success
Ben Hayes, co-trainer of Makram, envisions the Irish-imported gelding as a formidable contender in the lucrative races during the autumn ...
Mr Brightside poised for busy autumn campaign
Mr Brightside is gearing up for an official trial at Geelong later this month in preparation for his first-up appearance ...

Australian Cup Betting Guide

The Australian Cup dates all the way back to 1863, when Barwon took out the inaugural running.

Over the years, the strongest form reference looks to be from the Group 3 Carlyon Cup, held three weeks prior to the Australian Cup.

The race has been run over five different distances. From 1863-1942 it was held over two-and-a-quarter miles, and between 1943-1962 it was held at 3500m. In 1963 the race was held at one-and-three-quarter miles, and between 1964-1972 it moved to one-and-a-quarter miles. Since 1973, however, the race has been run over 2000m.

Since 1979 the Australian Cup has been run at Group 1 level, and the race in 2007 was the only time the Australian Cup was held away from Flemington, when Caulfield hosted the prestigious event.

It is no surprises to see that the late great Bart Cummings has the most Australian Cups to his name with an impressive thirteen under his belt.

The Australian Cup has produced plenty of eventual Melbourne Cup winners, so it is always a good idea to keep the winner in mind for that first Tuesday in November.


2024 Australian Cup Final Field

Horsebetting.com.au will update this page when the 2024 Australian Cup field is released.


Previous Australian Cup Fields

Many a Group 1 sprinting superstar has used the Australian Cup to kick off their autumn campaigns.

  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Silks
    Cascadian
    James Cummings
    Ben Melham
    11
    59kg
    2 Silks
    Regal Power
    John Leek (Jnr)
    Craig Newitt
    10
    59kg
    3 Silks
    Mo’unga
    Annabel Neasham
    Daniel Moor
    15
    59kg
    4 Silks
    Nonconformist
    Grahame Begg
    Jordan Childs
    14
    59kg
    5 Silks
    Emissary
    Mike Moroney
    Blake Shinn
    19
    59kg
    6 Silks
    Smokin’ Romans
    Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
    Beau Mertens
    5
    59kg
    7 Silks
    Numerian
    Annabel Neasham
    Jamie Mott
    1
    59kg
    8 Silks
    Marocchino
    Lou Luciani
    Troy Turner
    13
    59kg
    9 Silks
    Right You Are
    Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
    Ben Allen
    8
    59kg
    10 Silks
    Hezashocka
    Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
    Damien Oliver
    3
    59kg
    11 Silks
    Pounding
    Peter Moody
    Luke Nolen
    9
    59kg
    12 Silks
    Lunar Flare
    Grahame Begg
    Michael Dee
    16
    57kg
    13 Silks
    El Patroness
    Danny O’Brien
    Patrick Moloney
    6
    57kg
    14 Silks
    Steinem
    Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
    Harry Coffey
    12
    57kg
    15 Silks
    Bank Maur
    Richard Laming
    Jye McNeil
    7
    54.5kg
    16 Silks
    Virtuous Circle
    Liam Howley
    Daniel Moor
    2
    54.5kg
    17 Silks
    Yaphet (1E)
    Cliff Brown
    Ben Allen
    18
    59kg
    18 Silks
    Campionessa (2E)
    Mark Walker
    Opie Bosson
    4
    57kg
    19 Silks
    Bear Story (3E)
    Clinton McDonald
    Daniel Stackhouse
    17
    59kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Silks
    Cascadian
    James Cummings
    Damien Oliver
    2
    59kg
    2 Silks
    Think It Over
    Kerry Parker
    Nash Rawiller
    4
    59kg
    3 Silks
    Spanish Mission
    Peter Moody
    James McDonald
    10
    59kg
    4 Silks
    Ho Ho Khan
    Mitchell Freedman
    Tahlia Hope
    12
    59kg
    5 Silks
    Steel Prince
    Anthony & Sam Freedman
    Jye McNeil
    7
    59kg
    6 Silks
    Surprise Baby
    Gavin Bedggood
    Dean Holland
    6
    59kg
    7 Silks
    Yonkers
    Chris Waller
    Kerrin McEvoy
    5
    59kg
    8 Silks
    Callsign Mav
    Danny O’Brien
    Jamie Mott
    11
    59kg
    9 Silks
    Delphi
    Anthony & Sam Freedman
    Mark Zahra
    1
    59kg
    10 Silks
    Maximal
    John O’Shea
    Hugh Bowman
    3
    58.5kg
    11 Silks
    She’s Ideel
    Bjorn Baker
    Jamie Kah
    9
    57kg
    12 Silks
    Duais
    Edward Cummings
    Joshua Parr
    8
    57kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Silks
    Humidor
    Chris Waller
    Damian Lane
    12
    59kg
    2 Silks
    Harlem
    Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes
    Michael Walker
    7
    59kg
    3 Silks
    Fifty Stars
    Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes
    John Allen
    3
    59kg
    4 Silks
    Homesman
    Anthony & Sam Freedman
    Jye McNeil
    14
    59kg
    5 Silks
    Warning
    Anthony & Sam Freedman
    Damien Oliver
    15
    59kg
    6 Silks
    Angel Of Truth
    Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
    William Pike
    13
    59kg
    7 Silks
    Best Of Days
    James Cummings
    Luke Nolen
    17
    59kg
    8 Silks
    Steel Prince
    Anthony & Sam Freedman
    Jamie Kah
    11
    59kg
    9 Silks
    Chapada
    Mike Moroney
    Daniel Stackhouse
    9
    59kg
    10 Silks
    Platoon
    Neville Parnham
    Brad Parnham
    10
    59kg
    11 Silks
    Shared Ambition
    Chris Waller
    Mark Zahra
    2
    59kg
    12 Silks
    Defibrillate
    Patrick Payne
    Billy Egan
    4
    59kg
    13 Silks
    San Huberto
    Matt Cumani
    Dean Yendall
    6
    59kg
    14 Silks
    Nonconformist
    Grahame Begg
    Luke Currie
    16
    59kg
    15 Silks
    Miami Bound
    Danny O’Brien
    Daniel Moor
    8
    57kg
    16 Silks
    Miss Siska
    Matthew Smith
    Michael Dee
    3
    57kg
    17 Silks
    Paradee
    Danny O’Brien
    Craig Williams
    1
    57kg

2023 Australian Cup result


1stCascadian ($3.80)
2ndNumerian ($3.50)
3rdPounding ($6.00)

Recent Australian Cup results

  • After a massive run in the $5 million All Star Mile at Moonee Valley seven days prior, Cascadian has backed up into the Group 1 Australian Cup and won his first Group 1 at Flemington. The win in the Australian Cup goes with his other Group 1 wins in the Doncaster Handicap and All Aged Stakes. James Cummings trained his star gelding to the minute and he was breath taking when he let down on the outside, picking up the eventual runner-up Numerian in the final 100m of the 2000m event. As soon as Cummings and his team confirmed that the son of New Approach would back up into the Australian Cup, he was backed into favouritism with online bookmakers and he remained the favourite all the way up until the jump, although he did drift out to $3.80 in the final minutes before the feature event of the day at Flemington. After setting a very quick tempo, Numerian and Smokin’ Romans must be credited for sticking on to finish in second and fourth, respectively, while Pounding looked the winner at the 200m mark before Cascadian went straight by him like he was standing still.
  • Having finished off strongly in the Chipping Norton Stakes the start prior, the Ed Cummings-trained
    The veteran that is Homesman wore down a brave Best Of Days in the shadows of the winning post to claim an emotion-charged Australian Cup. One of the part owners of Homesman was the music icon Michael Gudinski who passed away in the days leading up to the race, so the win was made extra special and was recognised right around the world. It was summed up perfectly by Matt Hill who called him across the line with “Homesman, with the music man cheering above.”
  • It was a barnstorming finish that saw Fifty Stars take out the Australian Cup. At the clock tower Fifty Stars still had four to five lengths to make up on the leaders, but produced a barnstorming run to finish over the top of his rivals. The win handed trainers Tom Dabernig, Ben Hayes and David Hayes their third successive Australian Cup success. It was a handy field that Fifty Stars managed to beat with All Star Mile winner Regal Power having to settle for second and the former Melbourne Cup winner Vow and Declare in for third.
  • Having been guided by an A-grade steer by Jamie Kah it was Harlem who sprung another surprise at big odds to take out the Australian Cup. Having sat just off the leaders heels the entirety of the race, Kah gave Harlem every conceivable chance to get the job done. Having been headed by the eventual runner up Shillelagh, Harlem needed to lift himself of the canvas to score. He did just that, doing the better over the final 100m to get up in a driving finish and score by the barest possible margin.
  • In a field consisting of the likes of Galio Chop, Almandin and Hartnell it was the Dabernig and Hayes trained Harlem, who as the rank outsider of the field took out his first Australian Cup. Having been held up until the 300m just off the leaders’ heels, a patient ride paid off for Michael Walker when the gap appeared and Harlem responded underneath him. When he was held up it looked like the back markers would have been able to sail past him, but it was the $61 chance who did his best work late to win going away from his rivals.
  • Having finished second in both the Group 3 Carlyon Cup and Group 2 Peter Young Stakes it was the former kiwi Humidor who charged home late to take out the Australian Cup.The race had been set up as a match race between Humidor and the Caulfield Cup winner Jameka, but it was Humidor who hit lead over the final 100m and went on to claim his first win in Australia.
  • Having sat outside the leader throughout the running Preferment looked to have just fallen short in his quest to take out the Australian Cup. Despite crossing the line in second place behind Awesome Rock, Hugh Bowman and Chris Waller took the result into the stewards roopm alleging interferance in the home straight. To the joy of some punters on course, the decision was overturned and Preferment was handed his third Group 1 success.

Previous winners of the Australian Cup

Australian Cup Past Winners
Year Horse Jockey Trainer
2023 Cascadian Ben Melham James Cummings
2022 Duais Joshua Parr Edward Cummings
2021 Homesman Jye McNeil Anthony & Sam Freedman
2020 Fifty Stars John Allen David and Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig
2019 Harlem Jamie Kah David and Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig
2018 Harlem Michael Walker David and Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig
2017 Humidor Damian Lane Darren Weir
2016 Preferment Hugh Bowman Chris Waller
2015 Spillway Michael Walker David Hayes & Tom Dabernig
2014 Fiorente Damien Oliver Gai Waterhouse
2013 Super Cool Michael Rodd Mark Kavanagh
2012 Manighar Luke Nolen Peter Moody
2011 Shocking Corey Brown Mark Kavanagh
2010 Zipping Nicholas Hall Robert Hickmott
2009 Niconero Craig Williams David Hayes
2008 Sirmione Peter Mertens Bart Cummings
2007 Pompeii Ruler Craig Newitt Mick Price
2006 Roman Arch Craig Newitt Robbie Laing
2005 Maykbe Diva Glen Boss Lee Freedman
2004 Lonhro Darren Beadman John Hawkes
2003 Northerly Patrick Payne Fred Kersley
2002 Old Comrade Paul Harvey Noel Lamey
2001 Northerly Greg Childs Fred Kersley
2000 Intergaze Craig Carmody Rod Craig

Australian Cup Past Winners Pre 2000

Australian Cup Past Winners Pre 2000
Year Horse
1999 Istidaad
1998 Dane Ripper
1997 Octagonal
1996 Saintly
1995 Starstruck
1994 Durbridge
1993 Veandercross
1992 Let’s Elope
1991 Better Loosen Up
1990 Vo Rogue
1989 Vo Rogue
1988 Dandy Andy
1987 Bonecrusher
1986 Playful Princess
1985 Noble Peer
1984 Admiral Lincoln
1983 Spectrum
1982 Kip
1981 Hyperno
1980 Ming Dynasty
1979 Dulcify
1978 Ming Dynasty
1977 Ngawyni
1976 Lord Dudley
1975 Leilani
1974 Bush Win
1973 Gladman
1972 Jan’s Beau
1971 Gay Icarus
1970 Crewman
1969 Yootha/Cyron
1968 Arcitc Coast
1967 Bore Head
1966 Craftsman
1965 Craftsman
1964 Grand Print
1963 Welkin Prince
1962 Welkin Prince
1961 Dream King
1960 Illoura
1959 Gaybao
1958 Dream Son
1957 Miss High Caste
1956 Pushover
1955 Hellion
1954 Sunish
1953 Arbroath
1952 Murray Glen
1951 Bold Belle
1950 Bold John
1949 New Cashmere
1948 Bannerette
1947 Sydney James
1946 Knockarlow
1945 Spectre
1944 Similar
1943 Taramoa
1942 Wise Counsel
1941 Saul
1940 Indignity
1939 Pageant
1938 Marauder
1937 Mutable
1936 Amalia
1935 Sylvandale
1934 Heroic Prince
1933 Topical
1932 Madstar
1931 Carry On
1930 Nadean
1929 Some Quality
1928 Sea Money
1927 Spearfelt
1926 Pilliewinkie
1925 Answer
1924 Accarak
1923 Prince Cox
1922 Harvest King
1921 The Rover
1920 Macadam
1919 New Tipperary
1918 Defence
1917 Harriet Graham
1916 Cherubini
1915 Lempriere
1914 Wallalo
1913 Almissa
1912 LSaxonite/Prizefighter
1911 The Parisian
1910 Orline
1909 Pendil
1908 Peru
1907 Realm
1906 Tartan
1905 Lord Ullin’s Daughter
1904 Marmont
1903 Great Scot
1902 Blue Metal
1901 Dreamland
1900 La Carabine
1899 Bobadil
1898 Ayrshire
1897 Coil
1896 Idolator
1895 Havoc
1894 Broken Hill
1893 Portsea
1892 Highborn
1891 Vengeance
1890 Dreadnought
1889 Lochiel
1888 Carlyon
1887 Trident
1886 Malua
1885 Ringwood
1884 Morpeth
1883 Navigator
1882 Pollio
1881 Firstwater
1880 Columbus
1879 Savanaka
1878 Hirst King
1877 Sybil
1876 Richmond
1875 Lurline
1874 Protos
1873 Warrior
1872 Saladin
1871 Nimblefoot
1870 Norma
1869 Gasworks
1868 Shenandoah
1867 Tim Whiffler
1866 Woodman
1865 Woodman
1864 Nathalie
1863 Spectrum

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