Adelaide Cup

Adelaide Cup

Group II race
Location	Morphettville Racecourse, South Australia
Inaugurated	1864
Race type	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Sponsor	Tattsbet (2015)
Race information
Distance	3200 metres
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-old and older
Weight	Handicap
Purse	A$400,000 (2015)

The Adelaide Cup is a South Australian Jockey Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race handicap race for three-year-old and older, run over 3,200 metres at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide, Australia on the second Monday in March. Total prize money for the race is A$400,000.

Race history

The first Adelaide Cup was raced 21 April 1864 at Thebarton Racecourse, where Mile End is today. The race had stakes of 500 sovereigns with an additional sweep of 50 sovereigns to induce owners from other colonies to compete in the race. Victoria's P. Dowling's Falcon carried 10 stone 1 pound and ridden by jockey J.Morrison won the race in a time of 3:50.50. A crowd of 7,000 or 8,000 was present for the event.

The race was run at as a Weight for Age over two miles from 1864–68. In 1869, still at Thebarton Racecourse, it was run as a handicap race over two miles. There was no Cup raced in 1870 or 1871. The Cup resumed in 1872 and was run at "The Old Course" (Victoria Park Racecourse) over two miles with a smaller stake of 200 sovereigns with an additional sweep of 15 sovereigns. In 1876 the race was held at Morphettville Racecourse. In 1884 the race was run over ​1 ⁵⁄₈ miles (~2,600 metres), as was every race held until 1941.

Race in 1885 was held at Flemington, Victoria due to the Totalizator Repeal Act 1883 and was not held for three more years. In 1889 running of the Cup resumed at Morphettville when Sir Richard Baker and A. O. Whitington took over the course.

Starting on 1 March 1942, there was a ban on racing due to World War II and thus the race was not held in 1942 and 1943.

In 1980 due to renovation of Morphettville Racecourse the race was run at Victoria Park Racecourse and in 2000 the Cup race day was abandoned due to rain and was rescheduled later and also run at Victoria Park.

The highest ever Cup attendance was in 1951 when 50,000 spectators attended.

The cup is held on the second Monday of March since March 2006. Before 2006 it was held in May. It was first run in 1864, just three years after the Melbourne Cup commenced. The day received public holiday status in 1973 and has become a major social event in South Australia.

Race grade

The race was a Principal Race from 1864 until 1979 and a Group 1 race from 1979 until 2006. The race was downgraded from Group 1 to Group 2 status following a decision by the Australian Pattern Committee in 2007.

Past winners

• 2015 – Tanby
• 2014 – Outback Joe
• 2013 – Norsqui
• 2012 – Rialya
• 2011 – Muir
• 2010 – Capecover
• 2009 – Zavite
• 2008 – Lacey Underall
• 2007 – Gallic
• 2006 – Exalted Time
• 2005 – Demerger
• 2004 – Pantani
• 2003 – Pillage 'N Plunder
• 2002 – The A Train
• 2001 – Apache King
• 2000 – Bohemiath
• 1999 – Sheer Kingston
• 1998 – The Hind
• 1997 – Cronus
• 1996 – French Resort
• 1995 – Scrupulous
• 1994 – Our Pompeii
• 1993 – Our Pompeii
• 1992 – Subzero
• 1991 – Ideal Centreman
• 1990 – Water Boatman
• 1989 – Lord Reims
• 1988 – Lord Reims
• 1987 – Lord Reims
• 1986 – Mr. Lomondy
• 1985 – Toujours Mio
• 1984 – Moss Kingdom
• 1983 – Amarant
• 1982 – Dealer's Choice
• 1981 – Just A Dash
• 1980 – Yashmak
• 1979 – Panamint
• 1978 – Hyperno
• 1977 – Reckless
• 1976 – Grand Scale
• 1975 – Soulman
• 1974 – Phar Ace
• 1973 – Tavel
• 1972 – Wine Taster
• 1971 – Laelia
• 1970 – Tavel
• 1969 – Gnapur
• 1968 – Rain Lover
• 1967 – Fulmen
• 1966 – Prince Camillo
• 1965 – Hunting Horn
• 1964 – Jamagne
• 1963 – Woolstar
• 1962 – Cheong Sam
• 1961 – Far Away Places
• 1960 – Lourdale
• 1959 – Mac
• 1958 – Star Aim
• 1957 – Borgia
• 1956 – Pushover
• 1955 – Storm Glow
• 1954 – Spearfolio
• 1953 – Royal Padjeant
• 1952 – Aldershot
• 1951 – Peerless Fox
• 1950 – Peerless Fox
• 1949 – Colin
• 1948 – Sanctus
• 1947 – Beau Cheval
• 1946 – Little Tich
• 1945 – Blankenburg
• 1944 – Chief Watchman
• 1943 – †race not held
• 1942 – †race not held
• 1941 – Yodvara
• 1940 – Apostrophe
• 1939 – Son Of Aurous
• 1938 – Dartford
• 1937 – Donaster
• 1936 – Cape York
• 1935 – Mellion
• 1934 – Sir Roseland
• 1933 – Infirmiere
• 1932 – Romany Rye
• 1931 – Suzumi
• 1930 – Temptation
• 1929 – Parallana
• 1928 – Altimeter
• 1927 – Three Kings
• 1926 – Spearer
• 1925 – Stralia
• 1924 – Wynette
• 1923 – King Ingoda
• 1922 – Repique
• 1921 – Sir Marco
• 1920 – Wee Gun
• 1919 – Dependence
• 1918 – Elsdon
• 1917 – Greencap
• 1916 – St. Spasa
• 1915 – Naxbery
• 1914 – Hamburg Belle
• 1913 – Midnight Sun
• 1912 – Eye Glass
• 1911 – Eye Glass
• 1910 – Medaglia
• 1909 – Kooringa
• 1908 – Destinist
• 1907 – Spinaway
• 1906 – Dynamite
• 1905 – Troytown
• 1904 – Sport Royal
• 1903 – Sojourner
• 1902 – The Idler
• 1901 – Gunga Din
• 1900 – Tarquin
• 1899 – Contrast
• 1898 – Paul Pry
• 1897 – Mora
• 1896 – Warpaint
• 1895 – Elswick
• 1894 – Port Admiral
• 1893 – Vakeel
• 1892 – Jericho
• 1891 – Stanley
• 1890 – Shootover
• 1889 – The Lawyer
• 1888 – race not held
• 1887 – race not held
• 1886 – race not held
• 1885 – ‡Lord Wilton
• 1884 – Malua
• 1883 – Sting
• 1882 – Euclid
• 1881 – Totalisator
• 1880 – Firstwater
• 1879 – Banter
• 1878 – Glenormiston
• 1877 – Aldinga
• 1876 – Impudence
• 1875 – Lurline
• 1874 – Ace Of Trumps
• 1873 – Dolphin
• 1872 – Australian Buck
• 1871 – race not held
• 1870 – race not held
• 1869 – Norma
• 1868 – Cupbearer
• 1867 – Cowra
• 1866 – Cowra
• 1865 – Ebor
• 1864 – Falcon

† Race not held due to a ban on war time racing in the state.
‡ Race held at Flemington, Victoria due to the Totalizator Repeal Act 1883.

See also

• List of Australian Group races
• Group races