Queen Elizabeth II Cup
Queen Elizabeth II Cup
Group Three Betting Guide
| Date: | Wednesday, January 1, 2026 |
| Location: | Pukekohe Racecourse |
| Prize Money: | $250,000 |
| Distance: | 2400m |
The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a $250,000 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 2025 the race is registered as the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
2026 Queen Elizabeth II Cup betting odds
The 2026 Queen Elizabeth II Cup betting odds are currently unavailable.
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Latest Queen Elizabeth II Cup NZ News
2026 Queen Elizabeth II Cup Field
HorseBetting will update this page when the 2026 Queen Elizabeth II Cup final field is released.
Previous Queen Elizabeth II Cup Fields
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Nereus Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray Joe Doyle 6 59kg 2 Wolfgang Peter & Shaun McKay Rory Hutchings 5 58kg 3 Dionysus Roger James & Robert Wellwood Masa Hashizume 4 57.5kg 4 The Underbelly Robbie Patterson Craig Grylls 3 56.5kg 5 Terra Mitica Lance Noble Warren Kennedy 11 55.5kg 6 Nest Egg Stephen Marsh Michael McNab 2 55.5kg 7 Blue Sky At Night Shelley Hale Tayla Mitchell 13 53.5kg 8 Arby Darryn & Briar Weatherley Jasmine Fawcett 10 53.5kg 9 Sailor Jack Shaun Fannin & Hazel Schofer Lynsey Satherley 1 53.5kg 10 Son Of Sun Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley Matt Cartwright 8 53.5kg 11 Enright Stuart Manning Kelly Myers 7 53kg 12 Final Return Janelle Millar Courtney Barnes 12 53kg 13 Let Fly Conor & Sarah Fahy Sam Spratt 9 53kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Platinum Invador Lisa Latta Jonathan Riddell 9 58kg 2 Mary Louise Robbie Patterson Craig Grylls 7 53kg 3 Terra Mitica Lance Noble Warren Kennedy 5 56kg 4 Ess Vee Are Darryn & Briar Weatherley Sam Weatherley 3 53kg 5 Khan Hunter Antony Fuller Joe Doyle 6 53kg 6 Trust In You Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley Jason Collett 4 53kg 7 Queen Sarabi Amy Doran Kozzi Asano 1 53kg 8 My Maebelline Girl Kylie Little Darren Danis 2 53kg 9 Kiwi Man Debbie Sweeney Lynsey Satherley 8 53kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Platinum Invador Lisa Latta Johnathan Riddell 6 58kg 2 Justamaiz David Greene Vinnie Colgan 2 57.5kg 3 Viktor Vegas Casey Lock Kozzi Asano 8 57.5kg 4 Self Obsession Mark Walker Michael McNab 5 54.5kg 5 Aromatic Mark Walker Craig Grylls 1 53.5kg 6 Charms Star Lisa Latta Wiremu Pinn 4 53kg 7 Dionysus Roger James & Robert Wellwood Warren Kennedy 3 53kg 8 Even Chance Moira & Kieran Murdoch Jasmine Fawcett 13 53kg 9 Rapid Falls Tony Pike Joe Doyle 10 53kg 10 Zee Falls Stephen Marsh Lisa Allpress 9 53kg 11 Peecee Pussycat John Bell Kelsey Hannan 1 53kg 12 Cleese John Bell Masa Hashizume 11 53kg 13 El Nymph Nigel & Tammy Elliott Tayla Mitchell 14 53kg 14 Ata RangiJohn BellN/A1253kg
2025 Queen Elizabeth II Cup result
1st – Son Of Sun (+450)
2nd – Arby (+370)
3rd – Let Fly (+730)
Recent Queen Elizabeth II Cup winners
- Progressive stayer Son of Sun continued his golden run at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day when taking out the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) in the hands of in-form hoop Matt Cartwright. The five-year-old son of Tavistock had won four of his six prior starts at the Auckland venue, including the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Qualifier (2100m) last month. His record on the track didn’t evade punters attention, who backed him into $5.50 favouritism with Picklebet for Wednesday’s staying feature. Travelling midfield for much of the journey, Son of Sun spotted leader Arby five lengths at the top of the straight, but under the urgings of Cartwright, he was able to reel in his rival to score by a neck.
- 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 |
| 2025 | Son Of Sun | Matthew Cartwright | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley |
| 2024 | Trust In You | 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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