The Sydney Cup is one of the oldest racing events in Australia. It is a Group 1 Handicap horse race run at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, in March annually.
The Sydney cup was inaugurated in 1862, and since then, it has been ruling the hearts of millions of fans, not only in Australia but the whole world waits for the Sydney Cup every year.
Some of Australia’s best-staying horses participate in the Sydney Cup, which is run over a distance of 3200m for prize money of AUD 2,000,000. It is the longest race of the Autumn Racing Carnival.
The Sydney Cup is a big event, but it has been overshadowed by the more celebrated racing event Melbourne Cup since its beginning. Moreover, it is one of the few races to run over 3200m. The Melbourne Cup and Sydney Cup are only 3200m races that carry Group 1 status in Australia.
Over the years, several classy gallopers have won the race, including Streak (2000), Kingston Town (1980), Makybe Diva (2004).
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Origin
The inaugural Sydney Cup race was run on the 1st of May in 1862 as a part of the Metropolitan Autumn Meeting at Randwick racecourse. Initially, the race was known as the Jockey Club Handicap. By 1865 this race was called by the name Randwick Grand Handicap Sweepstakes. However, under the influence of money offered by the Victoria Racing Club in Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Jockey Club (now known as Australian Turf Club) decided to change the name of the race to the Sydney Royal Cup in 1866.
Also, they moved the scheduling of this race to the second day of the meet. Since then, the name of this racing event has been displayed with different names such as Randwick Grand Handicap, Randwick Grand Handicap Sweepstakes and the Sydney Gold Cup.
History
In 1862, the Sydney Cup attracted nine runners over 2 miles, and the winner won with 3 minutes and 52 seconds. By the year 1866, when its name was changed, a famous colonial horse named Yattendon won 11 races out of 17 races. It was the first time the gold cup was presented, made up of 18-carat Gold.
Here are some of the top horses over the years
- These horses etched their name in history by winning dual races the same year. In 1868, a famous stallion horse called The Barb won both The Sydney cup and The Melbourne Cup. Moreover, The Barb repeated history in 1869 too.
- Carbine, another Stallion, a native of New Zealand, won the dual races of the year 1889 and 1890. Carbine is one of the five inaugural inductees into New Zealand and the Australian Racing Hall of fame.
- Some other dual winners are Mosaic (1939-40), Veiled Threat (1942, 1944), and Tie The Knot (1988-99).
- In 1973, a horse named Apollo Eleven set a record of finishing the race in 3:19.90 seconds. Just a Dancer equalled that time in 1991. For the first time in 1980, the Sydney Cup was given the status of Group 1. The incomparable Kingston Town won the race that year.
Popular Racing Event of Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival
While the Sydney Cup and Melbourne Cup are high-quality events of their own right, they remain one of the most popular racing events of the year. As 2022 is about to start, many punters must be delighted to try their luck this year. Don’t forget to go through the Sydney cup betting odds to improve your chances. These big events such as The Championship, Golden Sire Stakes, Sydney Cup will be the best events to place your wagers and win big!