Auckland Cup

Horse race

The Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club (ARC). It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres (two miles) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand.

The race was formerly graded as a Group One (G1) event but as from 2022 is a Group 2.

It was first contested in 1874.

History

The first meeting of the Auckland Racing Club was in May 1874. One of the events, run over a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles, was named the Auckland Cup. This race was won by Mr. J Watt's three-year-old Batter. At the Summer Meeting of 1874 the Auckland Cup was run on Boxing Day over a distance of two miles and in subsequent published records of the club this race is shown as being the first official, recognised Auckland Cup contest.^[1]

This race was won by Templeton who must have been an impressive horse as to inspire Thomas Bracken (composer of 'God Defend New Zealand')^[2] to write a requiem of sorts to his fading prowess called Old Templeton. The day was reviewed positively in the 28 December issue of the New Zealand Herald,^[3] and was found to be absent of ‘sheanannaking’ and ‘hanky-panky’ and that everything was ‘above-board’ and ‘up hill and down straight’.^[4]

In 1898 W H Bartlett filmed Uhlan winning the Auckland Cup at Ellerslie Racecourse for the entrepreneur Alfred Henry Whitehouse.^[5] This was the first time a horse-race had been filmed in New Zealand.^[5][6]

Scheduling

The race was run on Boxing Day from in its inception until 1958 and from then until 2006 it was on New Year's Day.

Since 2006, the race has been contested on the second Saturday of Auckland Cup Week at the beginning of March on the same race day as the New Zealand Stakes and the Sistema Stakes (Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes). The 2021 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup was run on Saturday 13 March at approximately 5.30pm. It is typically the second-to-last race run on the final day of Auckland Cup Week.

For many years the Auckland Cup was the richest horse race in New Zealand. However, it has been surpassed in recent years by the New Zealand Derby and Karaka Million two year old and three year old races.

Notable winners

The Auckland Cup has been won by such notable horses as:

• Beau Vite (1940) who won the 1940 and 1941 Cox Plate.
• Beaumaris (1950).
• Castletown (1992) who also won the Wellington Cup three times.
• Cuddle (1935 and 1936) who also won the Doncaster Handicap and All Aged Stakes.
• Il Tempo (1969 and 1970) who also won the Wellington Cup in world record time of 3:16.2 for the two miles.
• Jezabeel (1998) who also won the 1998 Melbourne Cup.
• Kindergarten (1942) who was one of five inaugural inductees into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.
• Nelson (1885–87), an Australian champion who greeted the judge at the head of the field three times.

Auckland Cup and Avondale Cup double

In recent years the following Auckland Cup winners have also won the Avondale Cup:

• Glory Days: 2019
• El Soldado: 2016 Auckland Cup and 2017 Avondale Cup
• Who Shot Thebarman: 2014
• Sangster: 2013
• Spin Around: 2009 Auckland Cup and 2007 Avondale and Counties Cups

Race results since 1958

Previous winners

The following are earlier winners of the Auckland Cup.^[59]

• 1957 – NOT HELD
• 1956 – Yeman
• 1955 – Tesla
• 1954 – Arawa
• 1953 – Coaltown
• 1952 – Rev
• 1951 – Classowa^[60]
• 1950 – Beaumaris
• 1949 – Swanee
• 1948 – Frances
• 1947 – Balgowan
• 1946 – Sylis
• 1945 – Expanse
• 1944 – Foxwyn
• 1943 – Lord Chancellor
• 1942 – Kindergarten
• 1941 – Piastre (AUS)
• 1940 – Beau Vite
• 1939 – Cheval De Volee
• 1938 – Cheval De Volee
• 1937 – The Buzzer
• 1936 – Cuddle
• 1935 – Cuddle
• 1934 – Gold Trail
• 1933 – Minerval
• 1932 – Fast Passage
• 1931 – Admiral Drake
• 1930 – Motere
• 1929 – Concentrate
• 1928 – Corinax (AUS)
• 1927 – Rapier
• 1926 – Tanadees (AUS)
• 1925 – Rapine
• 1924 – Te Kara
• 1923 – Muraahi/Te Kara
• 1922 – Scion
• 1921 – Malaga
• 1920 – Starland
• 1919 – Karo
• 1918 – Mascot
• 1917 – Fiery Cross
• 1916 – Depredation
• 1915 – Balboa
• 1914 – Warstep
• 1913 – Sir Solo
• 1912 – Bobrikoff
• 1911 – Santa Rosa
• 1910 – Waimangu
• 1909 – All Red
• 1908 – All Red
• 1907 – Zimmerman
• 1906 – Master Delaval
• 1905 – Putty
• 1904 – Mahutonga
• 1903 – Wairiki
• 1902 – Siege Gun
• 1901 – St. Michael
• 1900 – Blue Jacket
• 1899 – Blue Jacket
• 1898 – Uhlan
• 1897 – Antares
• 1896 – Nestor
• 1895 – Anita
• 1894 – Lottie
• 1893 – Pegasus
• 1892 – St. Hippo
• 1891 – Pinfire
• 1890 – Crackshot
• 1889 – Leopold
• 1888 – Lochiel
• 1887 – Nelson (AUS)
• 1886 – Nelson (AUS)
• 1885 – Nelson (AUS)
• 1884 – The Poet
• 1883 – Salvage
• 1882 – Welcome Jack
• 1881 – King Quail
• 1880 – Foul Play
• 1879 – Ariel
• 1878 – Ariel
• 1877 – Lara
• 1876 – Ariel
• 1875 – Kingfisher
• 1874 – Templeton

References

1. "'A noble breed: Auckland Racing Club 1874–1974'. William Mackie, 1974". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
2. "God defend New Zealand".
3. Papers Past: The New Zealand Herald
4. "Auckland Cup and racing at Ellerslie".
5. Sowry, Clive (1993). "Whitehouse, Alfred Henry". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
6. "First movie shot in New Zealand". New Zealand History. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 1 December 1898.
7. "Race 9 BARFOOT & THOMPSON AUCKLAND CUP at AUCKLAND THOROUGHBRED RACING on 9 MAR 2024 | LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
8. "Mahrajaan completes rare Cup double". NZ Herald. 18 March 2024.
9. "Race 9 BARFOOT & THOMPSON AUCKLAND CUP at AUCKLAND THOROUGHBRED RACING on 11 MAR 2023 | LOVERACING.NZ".
10. "Race 9 BARFOOT & THOMPSON AUCKLAND CUP at AUCKLAND THOROUGHBRED RACING on 13 MAR 2022 | LOVERACING.NZ".
11. "Race 9 BARFOOT & THOMPSON AUCKLAND CUP at AUCKLAND RC on 13 MAR 2021 | LOVERACING.NZ".
12. "Race 9 BARFOOT & THOMPSON AUCKLAND CUP® at AUCKLAND RC on 7 MAR 2020 | LOVERACING.NZ".
13. "Former sheep shearer stuns racing world with 40:1 Auckland Cup win". NZ Herald. 1 January 2024.
14. "Race 9 BARFOOT & THOMPSON AUCKLAND CUP at AUCKLAND RC on 9 MAR 2019 | LOVERACING.NZ".
15. "Play it again Sam - glory days". NZ Herald. 1 January 2024.
16. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2018 (47th edition). Dennis Ryan, Editor, Racing Media NZ Limited, Auckland, New Zealand.
17. "Allan Sharrock 'shocked' to find out he had won Auckland Cup". 10 March 2018.
18. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2017 (46th edition). Dennis Ryan, Editor, Racing Media NZ Limited, Auckland, New Zealand.
19. "Race 9 BARFOOT & THOMPSON AUCKLAND CUP at AUCKLAND RC on 12 MAR 2016 | LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
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23. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2012 (41st edition). Birch, Andrew, Editor. New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing, Hamilton, New Zealand.
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27. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2008 (37th edition). Bradford, David, Editor. Bradford Publishing Limited, Paeroa, New Zealand.
28. "Race 9 STELLA ARTOIS AUCKLAND CUP at AUCKLAND RC on 5 MAR 2008 | LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
29. "Prize Lady wins Auckland Cup again > Australia and International Horse Racing news updated daily".
30. "Prize Lady survives protest to claim Auckland Cup". 31 January 2009.
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33. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2005 (34th edition). Bradford, David, Editor. Bradford Publishing Limited, Paeroa, New Zealand.
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35. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2000 (29th edition). Bradford, David, Editor. Bradford Publishing Limited, Auckland, New Zealand.
36. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1997 (26th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Mike Dillon's Racing Enterprises Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand.
37. "Farewell to Jack Tims, an all-round horseman". loveracing.nz.
38. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1995 (24th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Mike Dillon's Racing Enterprises Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand.
39. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1994 (23rd edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Meadowset Publishing, Auckland, New Zealand.
40. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1991 (20th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
41. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1990 (19th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
42. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1987 (16th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
43. "Man of courage who led in peace and wartime". 20 August 2014.
44. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1986 (15th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
45. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1985 (14th edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
46. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1984 (13th edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
47. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1983 (12th edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
48. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1982 (11th edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
49. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1981 (10th edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
50. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1980 (9th edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
51. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1979 (8th edition).Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
52. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1978 (7th edition).Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
53. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1976. Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland.
54. The DB Racing Annual 1974. Bradford, David, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland.
55. "Vale Brian Andrews - Harnesslink". 1 June 2017.
56. The DB Racing Annual 1972. Bradford, David, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland.
57. "Racing: Veteran jockeys plan revenge".
58. "Jones was a successful and meticulous horse trainer".
59. "Auckland Cup Winners". www.tbheritage.com.
60. https://www.racingnews.co.nz/link-to-takanini-lost-with-death-of-ray-wallace/ ^{[bare URL]}

• Sporting Records of New Zealand. Todd, Sydney. (1976) Auckland, New Zealand: Moa Publications. ISBN 0-908570-00-7
• The Great Decade of New Zealand racing 1970-1980. Glengarry, Jack. William Collins Publishers Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand.

See also

• Recent Winners of major NZ cup races
• Auckland Cup Week
• Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes
• New Zealand Derby
• Wellington Cup
• New Zealand Cup