Australian Cup: The evolution of a Flemington feature

In 1863, the first Australian Cup was conducted over a gruelling two-and-a-quarter miles (approx. 3600 metres). The race was won by Barwon, winner of the previous year’s VRC Derby and also a winner of the time-honoured VRC St Leger.

A century later, in 1963, the race briefly dropped to one-and-three-quarter miles (2800 metres), where Welkin Prince became just the second dual Australian Cup winner, matching Woodman’s back-to-back victories in 1865 and 1866. From 1964 onward, the race settled at 2000 metres, the distance at which it remains today.

The 1872 edition produced one of the Cup’s most remarkable moments. The race initially ended in a dead heat between Saladin and Flying Dutchman. A run-off between the pair astonishingly resulted in another dead heat, forcing a second run-off in which Saladin prevailed by half a neck in a time of 4 minutes and 15 seconds for the 3600 metres.

1927 Australian Cup winner Spearfelt has his name proudly etched across several of Flemington’s most prestigious honour rolls. Before his Cup triumph, he had already captured the 1924 VRC Derby, 1925 VRC St Leger and 1926 Melbourne Cup. Spearfelt later proved just as influential at stud, siring 28 black-type winners including 1943 Melbourne Cup hero Dark Felt and 1949 Australian Cup winner New Cashmere.

In 1979, the Cup produced one of the great boilovers when 1978 VRC Derby winner, Dulcify, stormed home at 80–1 to defeat champions Manikato and Family Of Man. Trainer Colin Hayes would later name Dulcify as the best horse he ever trained.

An even greater upset came in 1988 when Dandy Andy charged through the rain and from last to first at odds of 125–1, toppling two legends of the turf in Vo Rogue and Bonecrusher. Vo Rogue would return to claim consecutive Cups in 1989 and 1990 to cement his standing as one of the era’s equine legends.

Kiwi champion Veandercross had a phenomenal spring 1992 campaign that saw him finish a narrow second to Mannerism after a wide-sweeping run in the Caulfield Cup before winning the L.K.S Mackinnon Stakes (now TAB Champions Stakes) on VRC Derby Day, defeating 11-time Group 1 winner and stablemate, Rough Habit. Three days later, he was sent out 9-4 favourite ($3.25), running a gallant second to Subzero in the 1993 Melbourne Cup.

In the 1993 Australian Cup, he started a commanding 4/11 ($1.36) favourite and lived right up to that billing. The “Big V”, as the Australian public affectionately dubbed him, delivered a dominant display to defeat 1991 VRC Derby winner Star Of The Realm and the 1993 Caulfield Cup victor Fraar with authority.

One of the Australian Cup’s most memorable editions came in 2004, when the brilliant Lonhro, son of 1997 Australian Cup winner Octagonal, delivered a stirring farewell performance to Melbourne’s legion of racing fans. Sent out a heavy but drifting favourite in a star-studded field featuring Makybe Diva, Elvstroem, and Mummify, jockey Darren Beadman found himself bottled up behind runners before attempting a narrow gap that quickly closed, severely checking the champion stallion’s run.

Seemingly beaten at the 250-metre mark, Beadman shifted Lonhro into the clear as the three-year-old Delzao swept past with momentum. With 100 metres to go, Delzao looked home, but Lonhro balanced up, lengthened stride and launched a powerful late surge to reel in the gallant youngster, despite conceding four-and-a-half kilograms at weight-for-age. The determination he showed earned high praise from his jockey after winning from an almost impossible position.

Just two years younger than the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Cup shares deep roots with its spring counterpart. Twelve horses feature on both honour rolls, and four—Tim Whiffler (1867), The Parisian (1911), Saintly (1996), and Makybe Diva (2005)—have completed the Australian Cup–Melbourne Cup double in the same year.

Eleven winners have earned induction into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame: Malua, Leilani, Dulcify, Vo Rogue, Better Loosen Up, Let’s Elope, Saintly, Octagonal, Northerly, Lonhro, and Makybe Diva. The latter’s 2005 victory remains the fastest on record, and her elevation to Legend status saw her join racing’s greatest icon, J.B. “Bart” Cummings, who trained an extraordinary thirteen Australian Cup winners including Leilani, Hyperno, Let’s Elope, Saintly, and Dane Ripper.

The Cummings dynasty continues through Bart’s great-grandsons: Edward, who won the 2022 edition with Duais, and James, who followed with Cascadian’s back-to-back triumphs in 2023 and 2024.

The riding honours go to Thomas Hales who rode an astonishing eight winners of the Australian Cup between 1875 and 1890. More recently Harry White rode five winners, three of them aboard Bart Cummings-trained runners.