Caulfield Cup

The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under handicap conditions. This is for all horses aged three years old and older. It takes place over a distance of 2400 metres at the Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in mid October. The prize money is A$5,000,000.

History The race has become one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races. The race is held annually on the third Saturday in October, the third day and final day of the Caulfield Carnival. Performances in the Caulfield Cup are one of the possible qualification methods for a run in the Melbourne Cup which is held 17 days later.

During World War II the race was run at Flemington Racecourse and in 1943 the race was run in divisions.

Race qualification The field is limited to 18 starters with four emergency entries which is decided by a ballot system. The prize money, wins and placings in lead up races are among the major factors that determine the eligibility of a horse. Automatic entry is awarded to winners of the Toorak Handicap, Herbert Power Stakes and the Mornington Cup.

Sponsors 1985–1999 - Foster's 2000–2005 - Carlton Draught 2006–2013 - BMW 2014 - Crown Golden Ale 2015–2017 - BMW 2018–2020 - Stella Artois 2021–2023 - Carlton Draught 2024–present - Sportsbet

Distance 1879–1971 - 1 miles (~2400 metres) 1972 onwards - 2400 metres

Grade 1879–1978 - Principal Race 1979 onwards - Group 1

Dual winners The following thoroughbreds have won two Caulfield Cups. Paris (1892, 1894), Hymettus (1898, 1901), Poseidon (1906–07), Uncle Sam (1912, 1914), Whittier (1922, 1925), Rising Fast (1954–1955) and Ming Dynasty (1977, 1980).

Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double wins The following thoroughbreds have won the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double in the same year. Poseidon (1906), The Trump (1937), Rivette (1939), Rising Fast (1954), Even Stevens (1962), Galilee (1966), Gurner's Lane (1982), Let’s Elope (1991), Doriemus (1995), Might and Power (1997), Ethereal (2001), Without A Fight (2023) and Half Yours (2025).

Caulfield Cup-Cox Plate double wins The following thoroughbreds have won the Caulfield Cup-Cox Plate double in the same year. Tranquil Star (1906), Rising Fast (1954), Tobin Bronze (1967) and Northerly (2002).

Caulfield Cup-Cox Plate-Melbourne Cup triple wins The following thoroughbreds have won the Caulfield Cup-Cox Plate-Melbourne Cup triple in the same year.

Rising Fast (1954).

Notable runnings Australian Test cricketer Clem Hill was the handicapper for the Victoria Amateur Turf Club (VATC) and responsible for setting the weights for the Caulfield Cup from 1937 to 1943. Jockey Scobie Breasley rode the winner of four consecutive Caulfield Cups from 1942 to 1945. This included a division of the 1943 race, which was run in two divisions. He also holds the record for most wins by a jockey of the race - five wins. Trainer Bart Cummings holds the record for training Caulfield Cup winners with seven - Galilee, Big Philou, Leilani, Ming Dynasty (twice), Let's Elope and Viewed. 2014 Caulfield Cup winner Admire Rakti died after his run in the Melbourne Cup from natural causes. Horses trained outside Australia and New Zealand have been participating in the race since 1998. Six have won the race. They are Taufan's Melody (1998) for British trainer Lady Herries, All the Good (2008) and Best Solution (2018) for Saeed bin Suroor of the Godolphin stables, Dunaden (2012) for French trainer Mikel Delzangles, Admire Rakti (2014) for Japanese trainer Tomoyuki Umeda and Mer De Glace (2019) for Japanese trainer Hisashi Shimizu. The worst race fall in Australian history occurred at the 1885 Caulfield Cup when 15 of the 44 horses competing fell as they turned onto the straight, resulting in the death of 25-year-old jockey Donald Nicolson. In 2007, Maldivian and Eskimo Queen were late scratchings. Maldivian, shortest price favourite for 41 years, misbehaved and injured himself in the starting stalls, frightening second priced favourite Eskimo Queen who for a time was trapped beneath the stalls. The race started almost nine minutes late.

1924 and 1934 racebooks

1950 racebook

Winners since 1988 Year Winner Jockey Trainer Time2025 Half Yours Jamie Melham Tony & Calvin McEnvoy 2:29.05 2024 Duke De Sessa Harry Coffey Ciaron Maher 2:31.42 2023 Without A Fight Mark Zahra Anthony & Sam Freedman 2:26.45 2022 Durston Michael Dee Chris Waller 2:33.68 2021 Incentivise Brett Prebble Peter Moody 2:30.88 2020 Verry Elleegant Mark Zahra Chris Waller 2:31.97 2019 Mer De Glace Damian Lane Hisashi Shimizu 2:30.16 2018 Best Solution Pat Cosgrave Saeed bin Suroor 2.33.72 2017 Boom Time Cory Parish David and Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig 2:27.66 2016 Jameka Nicholas Hall Ciaron Maher 2:28.88 2015 Mongolian Khan Opie Bosson Murray Baker 2:27.76 2014 Admire Rakti Zac Purton Tomoyuki Yumeda 2:32.12 2013 Fawkner Nicholas Hall Robert Hickmott 2:29.10 2012 Dunaden Craig Williams Mikel Delzangles 2:28.82 2011 Southern Speed Craig Williams Leon MacDonald & Andrew Gluyas 2:28.44 2010 Descarado Chris Munce Gai Waterhouse 2:35.69 2009 Viewed Brad Rawiller Bart Cummings 2:29.70 2008 All The Good Kerrin McEvoy Saeed bin Suroor 2:27.45 2007 Master O'Reilly Vlad Duric Danny O'Brien 2:26.15 2006 Tawqeet Dwayne Dunn David Hayes 2:27.69 2005 Railings Greg Childs John Hawkes 2:27.96 2004 Elvstroem Nash Rawiller Tony Vasil 2:31.37 2003 Mummify Danny Nikolic Lee Freedman 2:25.98 2002 Northerly Greg Childs Fred R. Kersley 2:30.38 2001 Ethereal Scott Seamer Sheila Laxon 2:30.93 2000 Diatribe Jim Cassidy George Hanlon 2:25.32 1999 Sky Heights Damien Oliver Colin Alderson 2:30.10 1998 Taufan's Melody Ray Cochrane Lady Herries 2:30.16 1997 Might And Power Jim Cassidy Jack Denham 2:26.20 1996 Arctic Scent Brent Stanley Jim Mason 2:30.27 1995 Doriemus Damien Oliver Lee Freedman 2:28.10 1994 Paris Lane Damien Oliver Lee Freedman 2:26.50 1993 Fraar Peter Hutchinson David Hayes 2:28.00 1992 Mannerism Damien Oliver Lee Freedman 2:34.90 1991 Let's Elope Steven King Bart Cummings 2:30.30 1990 Sydeston Mick Dittman Bob Hoysted 2:31.60 1989 Cole Diesel Michael Kerr Greg Mance 2:27.20 1988 Imposera Brian York Ross McDonald 2:29.40

Earlier winners

1987 – Lord Reims 1986 – Mr. Lomondy 1985 – Tristarc 1984 – Affinity 1983 – Hayai 1982 – Gurner's Lane 1981 – Silver Bounty 1980 – Ming Dynasty 1979 – Mighty Kingdom 1978 – Taksan 1977 – Ming Dynasty 1976 – How Now 1975 – Analight 1974 – Leilani 1973 – Swell Time 1972 – Sobar 1971 – Gay Icarus 1970 – Beer Street 1969 – ¶ Big Philou 1968 – Bunratty Castle 1967 – Tobin Bronze 1966 – Galilee 1965 – Bore Head 1964 – Yangtze 1963 – Sometime 1962 – Even Stevens 1961 – Summer Fair 1960 – Ilumquh 1959 – Regal Wench 1958 – Sir Blink 1957 – Tulloch 1956 – Redcraze 1955 – Rising Fast 1954 – Rising Fast 1953 – My Hero 1952 – Peshawar 1951 – Basha Felika 1950 – Grey Boots 1949 – Lincoln 1948 – Red Fury 1947 – Columnist 1946 – Royal Gem 1945 – St. Fairy 1944 – Counsel 1943 – † Saint Warden / Skipton 1942 – Tranquil Star 1941 – Velocity 1940 – Beaulivre 1939 – Rivette 1938 – Buzalong 1937 – The Trump 1936 – Northwind 1935 – Palfresco 1934 – Journal 1933 – Gaine Carrington 1932 – Rogilla 1931 – Denis Boy 1930 – Amounis 1929 – High Syce 1928 – Maple 1927 – Textile 1926 – Manfred 1925 – Whittier 1924 – Purser 1923 – Wynette 1922 – Whittier 1921 – Violoncello 1920 – Eurythmic 1919 – Lucknow 1918 – King Offa 1917 – Bronzetti 1916 – Shepherd King 1915 – Lavendo 1914 – Uncle Sam 1913 – Aurifer 1912 – Uncle Sam 1911 – Lady Medallist 1910 – Flavinius 1909 – ‡ Blue Book / Aborigine 1908 – Maranui 1907 – Poseidon 1906 – Poseidon 1905 – Marvel Loch 1904 – MurmurCalled 'Whisper' the horse Jack West is supposed to have rigged to win the Cup, according to Frank Hardy 's novel Power Without Glory. 1903 – Sweet Nell 1902 – Lieutenant Bill 1901 – Hymettus 1900 – Ingliston 1899 – Dewey 1898 – Hymettus 1897 – Amberite 1896 – Cremorne 1895 – Waterfall 1894 – Paris 1893 – ¶ Sainfoin 1892 – Paris 1891 – G'naroo 1890 – Vengeance 1889 – Boz 1888 – Chicago 1887 – Oakleigh 1886 – Ben Bolt 1885 – Grace Darling 1884 – Blink Bonny 1883 – Calma 1882 – Little Jack 1881 – Master Avenel 1881 – Blue Ribbon 1880 – Tom Kirk 1879 – Newminster

Key: † Run in divisions ¶ Won by Protest ‡ Dead heat

Attendance

2024 – 25,676 2023 – 25,121 2022 – 24,289 2021 – 0 (no public attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions) 2020 – 0 (no public attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions) 2019 – 28,000 2018 – 30,000 2017 – 30,000 2015 – 30,000 2014 – 32,000 2013 – 33,056 2012 – 35,500 2011 – 30,097 2010 – 23,697 2009 – 43,210 2008 – 51,328 2007 – 48,529 2006 – 47,551 2005 – 52,000 2004 – 51,015 2003 – 46,873

Sponsorship In March 2015, BMW Australia and the Melbourne Racing Club announced a reunion in partnership, effective as of August 1, 2015 after the eight-year partnership ended in 2014.

See also List of Australian Group races Group races

External links Caulfield Cup placegetters since 1949 Caulfield Cup 2025

References