The Hunter Cup, also known as the A.G. Hunter Cup, is a Group 1 harness horse race for standardbreds or pacers held at Melton Entertainment Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The race was named after Alex G Hunter, the Trotting Control Board’s first chairman who was inducted into the Victorian Harness Racing Hall Of Fame in 2011. The inaugural race was held for a stake of two thousand pounds ($4000) in 1949 with Silver Peak winning, driven by Frank Culvert.
The race used to be staged at Moonee Valley before moving in 2011 to Victoria's new home of harness racing at Melton Entertainment Park.
The race distance has changed many times over its history. Since 2017 it has been raced over 2,760 metres but prior to that it was run over a longer distance (2840m to 3280m) for many years. From 1986 to 1991 it was a 2380m event. It is currently contested from a mobile start but was a standing start event from 1993 until 2016.
Race results
The following are winners of the A G Hunter Cup.
Year Distance Winner Trainer Driver Mile Rate 2nd 3rd2026 2760mSwayzeeJason GrimsonCameron Hart 1:53.3 Leap To FameRepublican Party (NZ)20252760mSwayzeeJason GrimsonCameron Hart1:51.9 Leap To Fame Republican Party (NZ)2024 2760mLeap To Fame Grant Dixon Grant Dixon 1:54.0 Don't Stop Dreaming (NZ) Max Delight20232760mHonolua BayEmma StewartDavid Moran1:55.2I Cast No Shadow (NZ) Old Town Road (NZ)20222760mKing Of Swing (NZ)Belinda McCarthy Luke McCarthy1:56.7 Spirit of St Lewis (NZ) Amazing Dream (NZ)20212760mLochinvar ArtDavid Moran David Moran1:54.8Alta Orlando (NZ) King of Swing (NZ)20202760mKing Of Swing (NZ)Craig CrossGary E Hall Jnr1:55.4 Our Uncle Sam Chase Auckland (NZ)20192760mTiger Tara (NZ)Kevin PizzutoTodd McCarthy1:53.2 Our Uncle Sam San Carlo20182760mLazarus (NZ)Mark PurdonMark Purdon1:54.1 Soho Tribeca Heaven Rocks20173280mBling It OnJohn McCarthyLuke McCarthy1:55.1 Yayas Hot Spot (NZ) Lennytheshark20163280mSmoldaMark PurdonMark Purdon1:57.3 Ohoka Punter (NZ) My Hard Copy (NZ)20153280mArden Rooney (NZ)Kerryn ManningKerryn Manning1:58.4 Franco Ledger (NZ) Easy on the Eye (NZ)20143280mChristen Me (NZ)Cran DalgetyDexter Dunn1:59.2 Caribbean Blaster Gold Ace (NZ)20133280mMah Sish (NZ)Tim ButtAnthony Butt1:59.2 Jaccka Clive (NZ) Caribbean Blaster20123280mChoise Achiever (NZ)Tim ButtAnthony Butt1:59.9Auckland Reactor (NZ) Jaccka Clive (NZ)20113280mStunnin Cullen (NZ)Tim ButtAnthony Butt2:01.1 Smiling Shard (NZ) Im Themightyquinn (NZ)20103065mBondy (NZ)David ButtDavid Butt2:01.7 Karloo Mick Im Themightyquinn (NZ)20093065mMr Feelgood (USA)Tim ButtAnthony Butt1:59.3I Am Sam Report for Duty (NZ)20083065mBlacks A FakeNatalie RasmussenNatalie Rasmussen1:58.9 Smoken Up (NZ) Report for Duty (NZ)20073065mSting Lika BeeBrian TuddenhamChris Alford2:00.6Toe Taper Flashing Red20063050mAbout To RockAndy GathKate Thompson (now Gath)2:03.0 20053050mElsu (NZ) Geoff SmallDavid Butcher2:01.9 2004 3050m Mister D G Tim ButtAnthony Butt 2:03.5 2003 3050m Mont Denver Gold Barry W Alford Chris Alford 2:02.6 2002 3050m Safe and Sound John D Justice Lance J Justice 2:01.9 2001 3050m Another Party M B Reed M B Reed 2:01.4 2000 3020m Yulestar Judith Lorraine Nolan Tony Shaw 2:01.3 1999 3280m Paris Affair Peter Tonkin Chris Alford 2:04.3 1998 3280m Try a Fluke Justin WarwickBrian Hancock 2:02.5 1997 3280m Surprise Package Barry PurdonTony Herlihy 2:02:4* 1996 3280m Vics Vance Barry Purdon 2:03.4 1995 3280m Blossom Lady Derek JonesAnthony Butt 2:00.6 1994 3280m Blossom LadyDerek Jones Anthony Butt 2:01.1 19932840m Master MusicianRobert Dunn Robert Dunn 2:02.8 1992 not run 1991 2380m Odds Torado Stephen Dove 2:01.0 1990 2380m Our Brenray Tracey L O’Sullivan 2:02.3 1989 2380m Victorys Phil T Mahar 2:00.2 19882380m Sir Reilly Vincent Knight 1:59.3 1987 2380m Trunkey Sting T B Warwick 2:00.8 1986 2380m Village Kid Bill Horn Chris Lewis 1:59.4 1985 2870m * Preux Chevalier (WA) fr Barry Perkins Barry Perkins 1:58.5 1984 2870m * Rapid Frost (NSW) fr M. Cunningham 2:04.0 1983 2870m * Popular Alm (VIC) fr Bob Knight Vincent Knight 1:59.4 1982 2870m * Gammalite (VIC) fr Leo O'Connor Bruce Clarke 2:05.4 1981 2870m * Koala King (NSW) fr Ray Wisbey Brian Gath 2:04.5 1980 2870m * Pure Steel (WA) fr Phil Coulson Ted Demmler 2:08.3 1979 2900m * Hanna's Boy (VIC) fr H. Hocking 2:06.0 1978 2800m * Pure Steel (WA) fr Phil Coulson Ted Demmler 2:01.7 1977 2900m * Pure Steel (WA) frPhil Coulson J. Retzlaff 2:04.6 1976 2851m Truant Armagh (VIC) fr Graeme Morgan Brian Gath 2:10.4 1975 2851m Royal Gaze (VIC) fr K. Pocock 2:07.5 1974 2851m Monara (VIC) fr D. V. Dove 2:07.9 1973 14f.36y Monara (VIC) fr D. V. Dove2:11.0 1972 14f.36y Dixie Boy (NSW) fr J. L. Young 2:09.0 1971 14f.36y Son of Nancy (VIC) fr N. Welsh 2:07.6 1970 14f.36y Adios Court (SA) fr C. J. Webster 2:07.0 1969 14f.36y Golden Alley (TAS) fr H. Pullen2:07.8 1968 14f.36y Bon Adios (SA) fr W. Shinn 2:08.8 1967 14f Waitaki Hanover (NZ) 24y Doody Townley 2:06.6 196614f Minuteman (SA) 12y Eric R. Hurley 2:08.8 1965 14f Stormy Bruce (NSW) fr B. J. Forrester 2:08.0 1964 14f Minuteman (SA) fr Eric R Hurley 2:09.2 1963 14f Idle Raider (NSW) fr P. J. Ryan 2:10.0 1962 14f Sheffield Globe (VIC) 12y W. Shinn 2:09.6 1961 14f Sheffield Globe (VIC) fr W. Shinn 2:10.2 1960 14f Sibelia (NSW) 12y M. Adams 2:07.8 1959 14f Pay Load (VIC) fr W. A. Hickey 2:14.2 1958 14f Radian Venture (SA) 12y F. Connor 2:12.0 1957 12½f Mineral Spring (NSW) 12y M. Adams 2:09.2 1956 12½f Merchant (SA) 12y W. K. Webster 2:10.0 1955 12½f Gentleman John (VIC) fr E. J. Rothacker 2:09.6 1954 12½f Ribands (NSW) 48y P. J. Hall 2:08.2 1953 12½f New Oro (VIC) fr J. W. King 2:10.2 1952 12½f Floodlight (TAS) fr D. L. Cornish 2:09.4 1951 12½f Avian Derby (NSW) fr S. W. Bray 2:10.4 1950 12½f Amorous (VIC) 24y A. R. Gath 2:11.6 1949 12½f Silver Peak (NSW) fr Frank Culbert 2:11.0
See also
Australian Pacing Championship Chariots of Fire Inter Dominion Pacing Championship Miracle Mile Pace New Zealand Trotting Cup Queensland Pacing Championship The Race by Sport Nation mobile pace Victoria Cup Harness racing in Australia
References
External links A G Hunter Cup Website