Auckland Cup
New Zealand | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Auckland Cup is a Group 2 race run under Handicap conditions for stayers usually at Ellerslie race course conducted by the Auckland Racing Club.
The Auckland Cup is run over 3200m. It was first run in 1874 and was won by Templeton.
The Auckland Cup is the main New Zealand staying race of the season for all comers. It was run at Pukekohe Park in 2023 due to the redevelopment of Ellerslie racecourse.
Run over the two miles, it used to be run on Boxing Day until 1958 then New Year's Day up to 2006 before moving to later in the season.
It was a G1 race for many years but was downgraded to G2 in 2022. It is still an important staying race.
Who Shot Thebarman won an Auckland Cup in 2014 then came to Chris Waller and has been a grand stayer winning many feature races like the Sydney Cup and placing in several G1s including a Melbourne Cup.
Jezabeel is the only horse to win both the Auckland and Melbourne Cup, taking them in 1998.
New Zealand is universally recognised as a great area for staying horses, so ironically a couple of Australian stayers have won Auckland Cups of recent times. Zavite scored for Anthony Cummings and Yobro won for Kirk Roberts.
Four of the last ten Auckland Cup winners have been mares.
The Auckland Cup was worth NZ$600,000 in 2025.
Notable winners of the Auckland Cup include Who Shot Thebarman (2014), Sangster (2013), Shez Sinsational (2012), Zavite (2010), Prize Lady (2007/2008), Our Unicorn (2001), Jezabeel (1998), Yobro (1997), Senator (1996), Miltak (1994), Castletown (1992), Blue Denim (1980), Apollo Eleven (1973), Il Tempo (1969/1970), Beau Vite (1940), Cheval De Volee (1938/1939), Cuddle (1935/1936), Te Kara (1923/1924), All Red (1908/1909), Blue Jacket (1899/1900), Nelson (1885/1886/1887), Ariel (1876/1878/1879), Kingfisher (1875) and Templeton (1974).
The 2025 Auckland Cup was won by Trav from Tajanis and Interpretation.
Previous Auckland Cup Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
TRAV
(NZ)
5G ALMANZOR (FR) - ROYAL SAV (NZ) SAVABEEL (AUS) |
MASAHIRO HASHIZUME | 53.0 | RAYMOND CONNORS | 10 |
|
|
MAHRAJAAN
(USA)
6G KITTEN'S JOY (USA) - LAHUDOOD (GB) SINGSPIEL (IRE) |
SAM WEATHERLEY | 54.8 | SHAUNE RITCHIE & COLM MURRAY | 3 |
|
|
PLATINUM INVADOR
(NZ)
7G REDWOOD (GB) - ATOMIC DANCER (AUS) DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) |
RYAN ELLIOT | 55.0 | L LATTA | 6 |
|
|
UAREASTAR
(NZ)
5M JAKKALBERRY (IRE) - ENCHANTERESS (NZ) DANEHILL (USA) |
WIREMU PINN | 53.0 | FRASER AURET | 16 |
|
|
OCEAN BILLY
(NZ)
5G OCEAN PARK (NZ) - COOL STORM (NZ) ONE COOL CAT (USA) |
J PARKES | 56.0 | B POMARE | 7 |
|
|
ROGER THAT
(NZ)
7G SHINKO KING (IRE) - HEATHER LYN (NZ) YAMANIN VITAL (NZ) |
SAMANTHA COLLETT | 55.0 | ANTONY FULLER | 17 |
|
|
GLORY DAYS
(NZ)
6M RED GIANT (USA) - BILANCIA (NZ) MONTJEU (IRE) |
SAMANTHA COLLETT | 53.5 | BILL THURLOW | 15 |
|
|
LADIES FIRST
(NZ)
5M DYLAN THOMAS (IRE) - JUST POLITE (AUS) DEHERE (USA) |
J PARKES | 54.0 | A SHARROCK | 11 |
|
|
CHENILLE
(NZ)
5M PENTIRE (GB) - CHARMED (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ) |
L G INNES | 53.5 | TONY PIKE | 6 |
|
|
EL SOLDADO
(NZ)
9G COLOMBIA (NZ) - ZO'AL (NZ) NORMAN PENTAQUAD (USA) |
D G BRADLEY | 55.0 | PHILLIP DEVCICH | 8 |
|
|
ROCK DIVA
(NZ)
4M LUCKY UNICORN (AUS) - BOHEMIAN BLUES (NZ) BLUES TRAVELLER (IRE) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 52.0 | TONY PIKE | 15 |
|
|
WHO SHOT THEBARMAN
(NZ)
5G YAMANIN VITAL (NZ) - EARS CAROL (NZ) CAROLINGIAN (AUS) |
M CAMERON | 52.5 | M OULAGHAN | 2 |
|
|
SANGSTER
(NZ)
4G SAVABEEL (AUS) - QUINTA SPECIAL (IRE) SPECTRUM (IRE) |
O P BOSSON | 54.5 | TRENT BUSUTTIN & NATALIE YOUNG | 1 |
|
|
SHEZ SINSATIONAL
(NZ)
4M EKRAAR (USA) - ORIGINAL SIN (NZ) SHINKO KING (IRE) |
JAMES MCDONALD | 55.0 | A SHARROCK | 13 |
|
|
TITCH
(NZ)
6G LORD BALLINA (AUS) - OUR SOPHIE (NZ) KAAPSTAD (NZ) |
O P BOSSON | 54.5 | KEVIN MYERS | 1 |
|
|
ZAVITE
(NZ)
7G ZABEEL (NZ) - MISS VITA (USA) ALLEGED (USA) |
DAMIEN OLIVER | 57.5 | ANTHONY CUMMINGS | 12 |
|
|
SPIN AROUND
(AUS)
8G SPINNING WORLD (USA) - BE YOURSELF (USA) NOBLE BIJOU (USA) |
V A COLGAN | 55.5 | STEVEN COOPER | 14 |
|
|
PRIZE LADY
(NZ)
6M PRIZED (USA) - PEN BAL LADY (GB) MUMMY'S GAME (GB) |
M C SWEENEY | 52.5 | GRAEME & MARK SANDERS | 4 |
|
|
PRIZE LADY
(NZ)
5M PRIZED (USA) - PEN BAL LADY (GB) MUMMY'S GAME (GB) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 52.0 | GRAEME SANDERS & DEBBIE SWEENEY | 15 |
|
|
PENTANE
(NZ)
4G PENTIRE (GB) - TUFF ONE (NZ) PRINCE RAIDER (NZ) |
M J WALKER | 53.0 | LANCE O'SULLIVAN | 11 |
|
|
BAZELLE
(NZ)
5M ZABEEL (NZ) - SHOW GAMES (AUS) SHOWDOWN (GB) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 52.0 | PAUL JENKINS | 9 |
|
|
UPSETTHYM
(NZ)
5M RHYTHM (USA) - SET UP (NZ) ZAFONIC (USA) |
G K SLIZ | 51.0 | KAREN FURSDON | 9 |
|
|
BODIE
(NZ)
5G STARK SOUTH (USA) - BALLINA WAVE (NZ) LORD BALLINA (AUS) |
N G HARRIS | 52.5 | NEIL CONNORS | 9 |
|
|
MAGUIRE
(NZ)
5G CASUAL LIES (USA) - DRAGON PEARL (USA) AHONOORA (GB) |
S SEAMER | 55.5 | J K COLLINS | 2 |
|
|
OUR UNICORN
(NZ)
6G ZABEEL (NZ) - REGAL MEL (NZ) VICE REGAL (NZ) |
M T COLEMAN | 56.5 | ALAN JONES & BRETT M | 18 |
|
|
ABLE MASTER
(NZ)
3G ZABEEL (NZ) - ENHANCER (NZ) RED TEMPO (NZ) |
G COOKSLEY | 53.5 | B WALLACE | 7 |
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