The Sydney Cup is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred handicap horse race, for horses three years old and older, run over 3200 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in the autumn during the ATC Championships series and it is the longest race in the club.

The origins of this race are associated with colonial Sydney and the growth of thoroughbred racing in the colony during the 1850s. The Australian Jockey Club initiated an Autumn race meet of initially two days and expanded it as horse racing became the most attended sport meeting.

Name

The inaugural running of the race was 1 May 1862 as part of the Metropolitan Autumn Meeting at Randwick. The race was known as Jockey Club Handicap and it was the third race on the card. The race attracted 9 runners over the famed 2 miles and was won by the odds on favourite Talleyrand in a time of 3 minutes 52 seconds.

In 1863 the Randwick Autumn Meeting, the third race on the first day of the meet was the Randwick Grand Handicap. The race was run by five entrants with the winner Traveller in a time of 3 minutes 42 seconds.

By 1865 the race was called the Randwick Grand Handicap Sweepstakes. With influx of money that was being offered by the Victoria Racing Club in Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup the AJC decided to change the name of the race in 1866 to the Sydney Gold Cup and move its scheduling to the second day of the meet. The 1866 Sydney Cup was presented to jockey Samuel Holmes and the immensely popular colonial horse, Yattendon, who demonstrated prowess by winning 11 out of his 17 starts. The gold cup was presented for the first time in this race and was made of 18 carat gold.

Of the more famous horses to win the race was dual winner of the race The Barb (1868–69) and also winner of the Melbourne Cup and from the same era Carbine who also won the race twice (1889–90).

In the 20th century the race held its prominence and although it never overtook the Melbourne Cup the race complemented the Australian Racing Calendar by being held in the autumn.

Other dual winners include: Mosaic (1939–40), Veiled Threat (1942, 1944), Tie The Knot (1998–99).

In 1973 the race was set at a distance of 3,200 metres due to the metric conversion in Australia.

Kingston Town was the first to win the Sydney Cup as a Group 1 race in 1980. The distinction for the fastest recorded time is 3 minutes and 19 seconds, set by 'Apollo Eleven' in 1973 and equalled by Just A Dancer in 1991.

History

1938 racebook

1941 racebook

1942 and 1952 racebooks

Winners

The following are past winners of the race.

2026 – Changingoftheguard 2025 – Arapaho 2024 – Circle Of Fire 2023 – Explosive Jack 2022 – Knights Order 2021 – Selino 2020 – Etah James 2019 – Shraaoh 2018 – Who Shot Thebarman †2017 – Polarisation 2016 – Gallante 2015 – Grand Marshal 2014 – The Offer 2013 – Mourayan 2012 – Niwot 2011 – Stand To Gain 2010 – Jessicabeel 2009 – Ista Kareem 2008 – No Wine No Song 2007 – Gallic 2006 – County Tyrone 2005 – Mahtoum 2004 – Makybe Diva 2003 – Honor Babe 2002 – Henderson Bay 2001 – Mr. Prudent 2000 – Streak 1999 – Tie The Knot 1998 – Tie The Knot 1997 – Linesman 1996 – Count Chivas 1995 – Daacha 1994 – Cross Swords 1993 – Azzaam 1992 – My Eagle Eye 1991 – Just A Dancer 1990 – King Aussie 1989 – Palace Revolt 1988 – Banderol 1987 – Major Drive 1986 – Marooned 1985 – Late Show 1984 – Trissaro 1983 – Veloso 1982 – Azawary 1981 – Our Paddy Boy 1980 – Kingston Town 1979 – Double Century 1978 – My Good Man 1977 – Reckless 1976 – Oopik 1975 – Gay Master 1974 – Battle Heights 1973 – Apollo Eleven 1972 – Dark Suit 1971 – Gallic Temple 1970 – Arctic Symbol 1969 – Lowland 1968 – General Command 1967 – Galilee 1966 – Prince Grant 1965 – River Seine 1964 – Zinga Lee 1963 – Maidenhead 1962 – Grand Print 1961 – Sharply 1960 – Grand Garry 1959 – On Line 1958 – Straight Draw 1957 – Electro 1956 – Sailor's Guide 1955 – Talisman 1954 – Gold Scheme 1953 – Carioca 1952 – Opulent 1951 – Bankstream 1950 – Sir Falcon 1949 – Carbon Copy 1948 – Dark Marne 1947 – Proctor 1946 – Cordale 1945 – Craigie 1944 – Veiled Threat 1943 – Abspear 1942 – Veiled Threat 1941 – Lucrative 1940 – Mosaic 1939 – Mosaic 1938 – L'Aiglon 1937 – Mestoravon 1936 – Contact 1935 – Akuna 1934 – Broad Arrow 1933 – Rogilla 1932 – Johnnie Jason 1931 – The Dimmer 1930 – Gwillian G. 1929 – Crucis 1928 – Winalot 1927 – Piastoon 1926 – Murray King 1925 – Lilypond 1924 – Scarlet 1923 – David 1922 – Prince Charles 1921 – Eurythmic 1920 – Kennaquhair 1919 – Ian 'Or 1918 – Rebus 1917 – The Fortune Hunter 1916 – Prince Bardolph 1915 – Scotch Artillery 1914 – Lilyveil 1913 – Cadonia 1912 – Saxonite 1911 – Moorilla 1910 – Vavasor 1909 – Trafalgar 1908 – Dyed Garments 1907 – Realm 1906 – Noreen 1905 – Tartan 1904 – Lord Cardigan 1903 – Street Arab 1902 – Wakeful 1901 – San Fran 1900 – La Carabine 1899 – Diffidence 1898 – Merloolas 1897 – Tricolor 1896 – Wallace 1895 – Patroness 1894 – Lady Trenton 1893 – Realm 1892 – Stromboli 1891 – Highborn 1890 – Carbine 1889 – Carbine 1888 – The Australian Peer 1887 – Frisco 1886 – Cerise And Blue 1885 – Normanby 1884 – Favo 1883 – Darebin 1882 – Cunnamulla 1881 – Progress 1880 – Petrea 1879 – Savanaka 1878 – Democrat 1877 – Kingfisher 1876 – A.T. 1875 – Imperial 1874 – Speculation 1873 – Vixen 1872 – The Prophet 1871 – Mermaid 1870 – Barbelle 1869 – The Barb 1868 – The Barb 1867 – Fishhook 1866 – Yattendon 1865 – Union Jack 1864 – Tarragon 1863 – Traveller 1862 – Talleyrand

Notes:

† The event was originally scheduled on 8 April 2017, but was abandoned when Almoonqith broke down shortly after the start of the race. The race was rescheduled and run two weeks later on 22 April 2017.

See also Arrowfield 3YO Sprint Australian Oaks Percy Sykes Stakes Queen Elizabeth Stakes (ATC) Queen of the Turf Stakes Sapphire Stakes (ATC) South Pacific Classic List of Australian Group races Group races

References