The Bart Cummings
Australia | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Bart Cummings is a Group 3 race run under Quality Handicap conditions for open class stayers at Flemington conducted by the Victoria Racing Club.
The Bart Cummings is run over 2510m. It was first run in 2003 and was won by Vicksburg.
The Bart Cummings is named after the most famous trainer in Australian racing history – winner of 12 Melbourne Cups. The race was known as the Banjo Paterson.
It has basically been around the same distance every edition.
The Bart Cummings was a handicap until 2007 then Listed before becoming a Group 3 in 2014.
It is an exempt race into the Melbourne Cup.
Has become a good Melbourne Cup guide with Persan, Surprise Baby, Almandin, Who Shot Thebarman, Mourayan, Araldo, Harris Tweed and Dolphin Jo all running well in Cups that year or into the future.
Surprise Baby won the 2019 Adelaide Cup at start six and just missed a direct Melbourne Cup start in the Andrew Ramsden. Winning the 2019 Bart Cummings won that exemption and he ran well in the big one when fifth.
Lloyd Williams often targets his stayers at Flemington races and he's won 3 recent renewals with Almandin, Tanby and Mourayan plus many other runners.
The Bart Cummings was worth $350,000 in 2025.
Notable winners of The Bart Cummings include Just Fine (2024), Surprise Baby (2019), Avilius (2018), Almandin (2016), Who Shot Thebarman (2014), Tanby (2012), Mourayan (2011), Light Vision (2008/2009), Dolphin Jo (2007) and Vicksburg (2003).
The 2024 Bart Cummings was won by Just Fine from Point King and Amade.
Previous The Bart Cummings Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
JUST FINE
(IRE)
6G SEA THE STARS (IRE) - BINT ALMATAR (USA) KINGMAMBO (USA) |
JORDAN CHILDS | 57.0 | G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT | 3 |
|
|
FUTURE HISTORY
(GB)
5G SHOWCASING (GB) - LIKELIHOOD (USA) MIZZEN MAST (USA) |
CRAIG WILLIAMS | 54.0 | C MAHER & D EUSTACE | 3 |
|
|
LUNAR FLARE
(AUS)
7M FIORENTE (IRE) - MY FAIR LAGO (AUS) ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) |
MICHAEL DEE | 54.5 | GRAHAME BEGG | 1 |
|
|
GRAND PROMENADE
(GB)
5G CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) - ZACCHERA (GB) ZAMINDAR (USA) |
J ALLEN | 55.0 | C MAHER & D EUSTACE | 6 |
|
|
PERSAN
(AUS)
4H PIERRO (AUS) - OFCOURSEICAN (AUS) MOSSMAN (AUS) |
JYE MCNEIL | 55.0 | C MAHER & D EUSTACE | 1 |
|
|
SURPRISE BABY
(NZ)
5G SHOCKING (AUS) - BULA BABY (NZ) KAAPSTAD (NZ) |
JORDAN CHILDS | 57.0 | PAUL PREUSKER | 6 |
|
|
AVILIUS
(GB)
4G PIVOTAL (GB) - ALESSANDRIA (GB) DAIWA MAJOR (JPN) |
G SCHOFIELD | 58.5 | JAMES CUMMINGS | 1 |
|
|
AMELIE'S STAR
(AUS)
6M TESTA ROSSA (AUS) - ZAZITA (AUS) ZABEEL (NZ) |
DAMIAN LANE | 54.5 | DARREN WEIR | 2 |
|
|
ALMANDIN
(GER)
6G MONSUN (GER) - ANATOLA (GER) TIGER HILL (IRE) |
DAMIEN OLIVER | 55.0 | ROBERT HICKMOTT | 4 |
|
|
LET'S MAKE ADEAL
(AUS)
6M RED RANSOM (USA) - LET'S GET FAMOUS (AUS) DANEHILL (USA) |
D DUNN | 54.0 | NIGEL BLACKISTON | 9 |
|
|
WHO SHOT THEBARMAN
(NZ)
6G YAMANIN VITAL (NZ) - EARS CAROL (NZ) CAROLINGIAN (AUS) |
G BOSS | 57.5 | CHRIS WALLER | 8 |
|
|
ARALDO
(GB)
5H HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) - ALANDA (GER) LANDO (GER) |
G BOSS | 54.0 | MICHAEL MORONEY | 7 |
|
|
TANBY
(AUS)
6G GALILEO (IRE) - DANE BELLTAR (AUS) DANEWIN (AUS) |
DAMIEN OLIVER | 55.5 | ROBERT HICKMOTT | 3 |
|
|
MOURAYAN
(IRE)
5H ALHAARTH (IRE) - MOURAMARA (IRE) KAHYASI (IRE) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 58.0 | ROBERT HICKMOTT | 1 |
|
|
HARRIS TWEED
(NZ)
5G MONTJEU (IRE) - SALLY (NZ) PRIZED (USA) |
B RAWILLER | 58.5 | MURRAY & BJORN BAKER | 10 |
|
|
LIGHT VISION
(NZ)
6G ZERPOUR (IRE) - SWITCHES (AUS) NATURALISM (NZ) |
NICHOLAS HALL | 58.5 | R W SMERDON | 3 |
|
|
LIGHT VISION
(NZ)
5G ZERPOUR (IRE) - SWITCHES (AUS) NATURALISM (NZ) |
B MELHAM | 56.5 | R W SMERDON | 5 |
|
|
DOLPHIN JO
(AUS)
5G DOLPHIN STREET (FR) - HIGH RENT (AUS) BELLIGERENT (AUS) |
S MURPHY | 53.0 | TERRY & KARINA O'SULLIVAN | 8 |
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