Queen Elizabeth II Cup

Queen Elizabeth II Cup

Group Three Betting Guide
Date: Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Location: Pukekohe Racecourse
Prize Money: NZ$200,000
Distance: 2400m

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a $200,000 Group 3 race held on New Year’s Day at Pukekohe in New Zealand.

The 2400m staying event is a relatively new addition to the summer carnival as the Group 1 Auckland Cup was moved from January 1.

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is run on the same day as the Group 1 Railway Stakes, which is one of New Zealand’s premier horse racing meetings.

It has become a popular betting race as it’s the best guide to not only the Auckland Cup and Wellington Cup later in the year, but also the staying races held in Australia during the Sydney autumn and Melbourne spring.

Previously named the City Of Auckland Cup, in 2024 the race is registered as the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.


2025 Queen Elizabeth II Cup betting odds

Markets for the 2025 Queen Elizabeth II Cup are currently unavailable.


Best Queen Elizabeth II Cup bookmakers

All of our top-ranked betting sites offer all-in and fixed odds betting on the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, but only some open their markets early. Follow the links below to find out more about the best bookmakers for Queen Elizabeth II Cup betting.


Latest Queen Elizabeth II Cup NZ News

Collett lifts Trust In You to Queen Elizabeth II Cup triumph
Jason Collett well and truly paid for a flying visit home when he guided Trust In You to a gritty ...
Patterson stablemates hunting northern feature success
Robbie Patterson has already successfully raided the Group 3 Counties Cup, and he has another two northern features in his ...
Dionysus excels under patient Kennedy ride
The superlatives being used about the riding of ex-pat South African Warren Kennedy went to a new level at Te ...
Concert Hall
Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood are well on their way toward their most successful season since forming a ...
Dionysus
A never say die effort from Dionysus and rider Opie Bosson saw them take out a fabulous victory in the ...
Concert Hall
A recent injury prevented popular owner-breeder Joan Egan from attending the New Year’s Day races at Ellerslie on Saturday, but ...

Queen Elizabeth II Cup betting guide

The race doesn’t have a rich history as it was only created in 2006, but there are some strong betting lines for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Red Ruler has been the only favourite to win the race, coming in at odds of $3 in 2010, and that kicked off a string of winners which paid some handy odds with bookmakers.

Showcause, Single Minded, Hiace and Mosquito all paid double figures in consecutive years, while recent winners have paid good each-way prices.

The reason why favourites don’t have a good record in the City of Auckland Cup is down to the timing. Stayers aren’t set for summer racing, so the fields usually consist of horses which have been kept in work after a tough spring carnival.

This can throw in upset results, as we’ve seen, so punters should look at backing the horses which have had experience at the distance and runners which haven’t been set for any major races.

The past winners include a list of promising types which were never able to win the big Group 1, so find the runners which have been thereabouts and bet accordingly.


2025 Queen Elizabeth II Cup Field

HorseBetting will update this page when the 2025 Queen Elizabeth II Cup field is released.


Previous Queen Elizabeth II Cup Fields

  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Silks
    Platinum Invador
    Lisa Latta
    Jonathan Riddell
    9
    58kg
    2 Silks
    Mary Louise
    Robbie Patterson
    Craig Grylls
    7
    53kg
    3 Silks
    Terra Mitica
    Lance Noble
    Warren Kennedy
    5
    56kg
    4 Silks
    Ess Vee Are
    Darryn & Briar Weatherley
    Sam Weatherley
    3
    53kg
    5 Silks
    Khan Hunter
    Antony Fuller
    Joe Doyle
    6
    53kg
    6 Silks
    Trust In You
    Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley
    Jason Collett
    4
    53kg
    7 Silks
    Queen Sarabi
    Amy Doran
    Kozzi Asano
    1
    53kg
    8 Silks
    My Maebelline Girl
    Kylie Little
    Darren Danis
    2
    53kg
    9 Silks
    Kiwi Man
    Debbie Sweeney
    Lynsey Satherley
    8
    53kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Silks Platinum Invador Lisa Latta Johnathan Riddell 6 58kg
    2 Silks Justamaiz David Greene Vinnie Colgan 2 57.5kg
    3 Silks Viktor Vegas Casey Lock Kozzi Asano 8 57.5kg
    4 Silks Self Obsession Mark Walker Michael McNab 5 54.5kg
    5 Silks Aromatic Mark Walker Craig Grylls 1 53.5kg
    6 Silks Charms Star Lisa Latta Wiremu Pinn 4 53kg
    7 Silks Dionysus Roger James & Robert Wellwood Warren Kennedy 3 53kg
    8 Silks Even Chance Moira & Kieran Murdoch Jasmine Fawcett 13 53kg
    9 Silks Rapid Falls Tony Pike Joe Doyle 10 53kg
    10 Silks Zee Falls Stephen Marsh Lisa Allpress 9 53kg
    11 Silks Peecee Pussycat John Bell Kelsey Hannan 1 53kg
    12 Silks Cleese John Bell Masa Hashizume 11 53kg
    13 Silks El Nymph Nigel & Tammy Elliott Tayla Mitchell 14 53kg
    14 Silks Ata Rangi John Bell TBC 12 53kg

2024 Queen Elizabeth II Cup result


1stTrust In You (+220)
2ndKhan Hunter (+120)
3rdMary Louise (+100)

Recent Queen Elizabeth II Cup winners

  • Ex-pat Kiwi jockey Jason Collett well and truly paid for a flying visit home from his Sydney base when he guided promising stayer Trust In You to a gritty victory in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) on New Year’s Day. On his old stomping ground at Pukekohe, Collett produced an inch perfect effort to bring the Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley-trained son of Sweynesse with a decisive late burst to reel in pacemaker Khan Hunter, who looked like he would steal the race after skipping clear on the home turn. Trust In You had already produced his credentials to run out an energy sapping 2400m when triumphing in the Dunstan Feeds Stayers Championship Final at the venue on Boxing Day in the hands of Michael McNab and was the well-supported second favourite ($3.20) for the contest behind local runner Terra Mitica ($2.50). Joe Doyle had Khan Hunter in front from barrier rise and looked to have his rivals in a heap of trouble when travelling comfortably approaching the home bend. At this point Trust In You was tracking Terra Mitica into the race and when Collett switched him to the outer to make his challenge he ate up the ground to collar Khan Hunter at the 100m as he went on to win by a neck, with Mary Louise shading Terra Mitica for third.
  • The superlatives being used about the riding of ex-pat South African Warren Kennedy went to a new level at Te Rapa when he picked up a winning treble that included taking the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) aboard Dionysus. Kennedy displayed superb judgement aboard the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained five-year-old after the son of Ocean Park lacked early enthusiasm and settled well off a strong tempo set by outsider El Nymph. Kennedy kept his mount in a steady rhythm and crept closer to the business end of the contest as the field approached the home turn. Dionysus tracked the well fancied Self Obsession into contention and after a brief tussle got the upper hand and went to the line under a good grip to win by half a length with Zee Falls battling on gamely for third.
  • The 2022 City Of Auckland Cup looked to be arace in two, between the Roger James & Robert Wellwood stablemates Cheaperthandivorce and Concert Hall. Despite Cheaperthandivorce ($2) jumping as favourite, it was Concert Hall who coasted to victory in the 2400m Group 3 event at Ellerslie. Aided by a perfect steer from Ryan Elliot close to the speed, the Savabeel mare would go on to score by just a under a length in a strong staying performance.
  • It came as somewhat of a surprise that Jamie Richards managed to train the winner of the 2021 City Of Auckland Cup, with Savy Yong Blonk handing the superstar trainer his first win in the race. Having drawn barrier 15, Danielle Johnson had the five-year-old mare settled in the second half of the field, but the Savabeel mare managed to fly home down the centre of the track holding off the fast finishing Platinum Invador in a photo finish, turning the tables on her rival from the 2020 edition.
  • Having hit the line with intent in the Manawatu Cup at the start prior, the Lisa Latta-trained Platinum Invador managed to claim the City Of Auckland Cup in devastating fashion. Having got too far out of his ground at the start prior, Leith Innes made sure he would not be a hard luck story. He asked for an effort prior to the home turn, where Platinum Invador hit the front when straightening, before extending his margin in the home straight and winning by close to three lengths.
  • Prince Jabeel was semt around as a $30 chance in the 2019 City Of Auckland Cup, but it was he who reigned supreme when smashing his rivals in the Group 3 event. Having settled up on speed, Ryan Elliot produced a front-running peach with just 53kg on the back of Prince Jabeel. He went for home when cornering and when asked for an effort, the Prince responded and ultimately proved too hard to run down.
  • In what was one of his final runs in New Zealand prior to a stint in Australia, Charles Road delivered a strong performance in the City Of Auckland Cup. The gelding raced outside of the leader early in the running before settling just off the pace set up by Gobstopper. Produced at the top of the straight Charles Road hit the front and sustained to the line, starving off a fast-finishing Five To Midnight.
  • Former Irish import St Jean caused a big upset in the 2017 City of Auckland Cup. The Logan/Gibbs-trained horse finished best in a driving finish which involved a tight four-horse battle. The son of Teofilo wasn’t fancied to win, but it scored the half-head win over stablemate Candle In The Wind which set up a massive trifecta of over $11,000.
  • On a rainy day in Auckland, $6.90 chance Decorah was too good for them, winning by 1.25 lengths. The Pins mare was trained by the Baker/Forsman stables and although it wasn’t one of the better City of Auckland Cup fields in recent history, it did the job well. Rank outsider Rose of Virginia finished second at odds of $12.40 before eventually taking its place in the 2016 Melbourne Cup.
  • Delago’s Secret and Surpass battled it out down the Ellerslie straight with Delago’s Secret stealing the win on the line by a head. The Roger James-trained gelding was a well-bred type by Encosta de Lago which didn’t quite fulfil its potential, but with Danielle Johnson in the saddle, the four-year-old was able to get the chocolates at odds of $9.70.
  • Mosquito was an enigmatic runner for Donna and Dean Logan, but with James McDonald in the saddle, it was able to secure the big win. The five-year-old by Golan was one of the better stayers racing in New Zealand in 2014, but it just didn’t know how to put it all together. It did in the City of Auckland Cup when nosing out the Stephen McKee-trained Chaparrone. Mosquito paid $10.90 for the win which set up a $16,000 first four payout.
  • Hiace provided one of the biggest upsets in the City of Auckland Cup when winning at odds of $41.50. The six-year-old by Johar wasn’t expected to run in the money, but again with Danielle Johnson in the saddle, it was able to hold off all the challengers. Auckland Cup placegetter El Soldado finished second with Chaparrone running the first of its two City of Auckland Cup placings.

Queen Elizabeth II Cup past winners list

Queen Elizabeth II Cup Past Winners
Year Horse Jockey Trainer
2024 Trust In Your Jason Collett Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley
2023 Dionysus Warren Kennedy Roger James & Robert Wellwood
2022 Concert Hall Ryan Elliot Roger James & Robert Wellwood
2021 Savy Yong Blonk Danielle Johnson Jamie Richards
2020 Platinum Invador Leith Innes Lisa Latta
2019 Prince Jabeel Ryan Elliot Lance Noble
2018 Sir Charles Road Jake Bayliss Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott
2017 St Jean Jonathan Parkes Donna Logan
2016 Decorah Opie Bosson Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
2015 Delago’s Secret Danielle Johnson Roger James
2014 Mosquito James McDonald Donna & Dean Logan
2013 Easy Aces Danielle Johnson Murray McKeagg
2012 Single Minded Craig Grylls Graham Richardson
2011 Showcause Darryl Bradley Frank Ritchie
2010 Red Ruler Mark Du Plessis John Sargent
2009 Six O’Clock News Noel Harris Patrick & Trent Busuttin
2008 Pasta Post Craig Grylls Graeme & Mark Sanders
2007 Highflying Troy Harris Dick & Chris Bothwell
2006 Zarius Lisa Cropp Mark Walker

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