Australian Cup

The Australian Cup is a Group 1 Weight-for-age race held annually each March at Flemington racecourse in Melbourne during the Melbourne autumn racing carnival. The race is run over a distance of 2000 metres and has prizemoney of $1,000,000. The 2011 Australian Cup was won by Shocking from Linton with Playing God third.

The Australian Cup takes place on the Victoria Racing Club's feature race day of the autumn, Super Saturday of Racing at Flemington, alongside the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap.

Australian Cup info
Date:	Saturday 10th March 2012
Track:	Flemington racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	2000 metres
Race Type:	Weight-for-age
Status:	Group 1
Prizemoney:	$1,000,000
2011 Winner:	Shocking

The Australian Cup is the premier staying event held at Flemington during the autumn racing carnival and one of the highlights of Super Saturday race day in March. The race is a time honoured event and many of Australia's finest gallopers have been victorious in this race.

The Australian Cup is generally a race for elite gallopers and has a long and proud history of producing winners who quite often go on to be stars of the Australian turf.

Many of Australia's best gallopers have their name etched on the Australian Cup honour roll including Makybe Diva (2005), Lonhro (2004), Northerly (2003 & 2001), Octagonal (1997), Saintly (1996), Better Loosen Up (1991) and Vo Rogue (1990-89) amongst others.

The Gr2 St George Stakes held earlier in the autumn has been the best recent guide to this race with Pompeii Ruler (2007), Lonhro (2004), Northerly (2001), Istidaad (1999), Dane Ripper (1998), Durbridge (1994), Let's Elope (1992) & Vo Rogue (1989) all taking out the St George Stakes & Australian Cup double. Thesio (2nd in 2009) won the St George Stakes before finishing runner-up in this race as an odds-on favourite.

Shocking (2011) ran unplaced in the St George Stakes at Caulfield prior to winning this race and recent Australian Cup winners include Zipping (2010) and Niconero (2009).

2011 Australian Cup result
1. $8.50 Shocking 59.0 C Brown
2. $9.00 Linton 59.0 M Rodd
3. $6.50 Playing God 54.5 C Newitt

Then followed
4. $31.00 Scenic Shot 59.0 S Scriven
5. $5.50 Precedence 59.0 S Arnold
6. $26.00 Laristan 58.5 B Rawiller
7. $26.00 Cedarberg 59.0 G Schofield
8. $4.60 Heart Of Dreams 59.0 D Oliver
9. $11.00 Moudre 59.0 Craig Williams
10. $14.00 Ginga Dude 59.0 M J Walker
11. $71.00 Mourayan 59.0 D Nikolic
12. $61.00 Mr Charlie 59.0 L Nolen
13. $101.00 C'est La Guerre 59.0 N Hall
14. $14.00 Alcopop 59.0 B Melham
15. $81.00 Lord Pyrus 59.0 N Callow

Margins: 2 len, 1 1/4 len
Time: 2:00.95

Super Saturday of Racing at Flemington also features the Gr2 Kewney Stakes, Gr2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes, Gr2 Blamey Stakes, Gr3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes & Gr3 Matron Stakes.

Australian Cup recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Shocking	Linton	Playing God	2:00.9
2010	Zipping	Sirmione	Moatize	2:03.6
2009	Niconero	Theseo	Zagreb	2:03.1
2008	Sirmione	Princess Coup	Casino Prince	2:00.8
2007	Pompeii Ruler	Marasco	Tawqeet	2:01.5
2006	Roman Arch	Candy Vale	Our Smoking Joe	2:02.8
2005	Makybe Diva	Winning Belle	Lad Of The Manor	1:58.7
2004	Lonhro	Delzao	Elvstroem	2:01.6
2003	Northerly	Natural Blitz	Don Eduardo	2:01.4
2002	Old Comrade	Northerly	Rain Gauge	1:59.8
2001	Northerly	Hit The Roof	Kaapstad Way	1:59.4
2000	Intergaze	Arena	Streak	2:00.9
1999	Istidaad	Intergaze	Thackeray	1:59.4
1998	Dane Ripper	Delinquent	Marble Halls	2:02.4
1997	Octagonal	Gold City	Juggler	2:01.0
1996	Saintly	Vialli	Peep On The Sky	2:02.1
1995	Starstruck	Jeune	Station Hand	2:00.4
1994	Durbridge	Station Hand	Mahogany	2:02.2
1993	Veandercross	Star Of The Realm	Fraar	2:01.3
1992	Lets Elope	Shivas Revenge	Prince Salieri	2:00.0
1991	Better Loosen Up	Vo Rogue	Prince Salieri	2:01.6
1990	Vo Rogue	Better Loosen Up	Super Impose	2:00.9
1989	Vo Rogue	Super Impose	Our Poetic Prince	2:01.6
1988	Dandy Andy	Vo Rogue	Bonecrusher	2:01.5