The Wellington Cup is a Group 3

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

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held annually in January by the

Wellington Racing Club The Wellington Racing Club (WRC) is a racing horse racing club based at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand. Founded as the Wellington Jockey Club in 1854, the first race meetings held by the club were at Hutt Park in 1854 ...

Trentham Racecourse Trentham Racecourse is the main thoroughbred horse racecourse for the Wellington city area in New Zealand. It is located in the suburb of Trentham, New Zealand, Trentham in Upper Hutt, next to Trentham Military Camp. The races are conducted by t ...

in Trentham.

History

Inaugurated in 1874, the Wellington Cup has been raced over various distances: * 2 miles : 1874-1889 * miles : 1890-1941 * 2 miles : 1942-1973 * 3200 metres : 1974-2008 * 2400 metres : 2009-2015 * 3200 metres : 2016 onwards There were two prior Wellington Cups in 1867 and 1868. These were unofficial events run by the first Wellington Jockey Club and not recognised by the NZ Turf Register. The Wellington Cup is one of New Zealand's most famous and popular races and it generally offers stake money which belies its Group Three status. Wellington Cup day attracts large crowds to Trentham Racecourse and the other races on the card have include the Group Three

Desert Gold Stakes The Desert Gold Stakes is a horse race held by the Wellington Racing Club at Trentham Racecourse named in honor of the great filly, Desert Gold. The horses taking part are 3 year-old fillies which race over 1600 metres. History The Desert Gold ...

and the Douro Cup. In the past years the Group One

Thorndon Mile The Thorndon Mile (formally WRC George Adams Handicap) is a Group One (G1) Thoroughbred horse race contested at Trentham Racecourse by the Wellington Racing Club. The race is run on Wellington Cup day, traditionally the last Saturday of January. ...

was on Wellington Cup day, it is now raced a week earlier along with the

Trentham Stakes The Trentham Stakes is a Group 3 weight-for-age race held for thoroughbred racehorses at Trentham Racecourse near Wellington, New Zealand conducted by the Wellington Racing Club. Held over 2100 metres in January, it is seen as the main lead-up ...

. The Wellington Cup was a Group 1 race until 2008. Given the prestige of the race, there was some disappointment at the news that the race would lose its Group One status from 2009. The Wellington Racing Club responded to the downgrade by reducing the distance to 2400 metres in order to attract a higher quality field. However, the race reverted to 3200m from 2016 to help encourage New Zealand stayers. In 2017 the race was downgraded again to Group Three status.

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

attended in 1970. One of the most famous winners of the Wellington Cup was

Kiwi Kiwi most commonly refers to: * Kiwi (bird), a flightless bird native to New Zealand * Kiwi (nickname), an informal name for New Zealanders * Kiwifruit, an edible hairy fruit with many seeds * Kiwi dollar or New Zealand dollar, a unit of curren ...

, ridden by Jimmy Cassidy. The pair went on to win the 1983 Melbourne Cup for trainer, Snow Lupton of Waverley. Snow's grand-daughter Jaimee-Lee Lupton trained the 2020 Wellington Cup winner Soleseifei. In past years the Wellington Racing Club arranged celebrity guests of honour such as: *

Rachel Hunter Rachel Hunter (born 8 September 1969) is a New Zealand model, actress, and the host of Imagine Television, Imagination Television's ''Rachel Hunter's Tour of Beauty''. She has appeared on several magazine covers, including ''Vogue (magazine), ...

and

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...

in 1994. *

Sir Edmund Hillary Sir Edmund Percival Hillary (20 July 1919 – 11 January 2008) was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached th ...

was appropriately there to present the trophy to 1995 winner Ed along with

Cheryl Ladd Cheryl Ladd (born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor; July 12, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series '' Charlie's Angels'', whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 ...

and

One West Waikiki ''One West Waikiki'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on CBS from August 4, 1994 until September 8, 1994, and then in first-run syndication for its second season from October 15, 1995 until May 25, 1996. The series was set ...

actor

Richard Burgi Richard William Burgi (, born July 30, 1958) is an American film and television actor best known for the roles of Det. Jim Ellison on '' The Sentinel'' and as Karl Mayer on ''Desperate Housewives''. He also portrayed Paul Hornsby in the ABC da ...

. *

Jonah Lomu Jonah Tali Lomu (12 May 1975 – 18 November 2015) was a New Zealand professional rugby union player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential players in the history of the sport, and as one of the most talented sportsm ...

in 1996. *

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winner

Jacqueline Aguilera Jacqueline María Aguilera Marcano (born 17 November 1976 in Valencia, Carabobo) is a Venezuelan model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 1995 became the fifth woman from Venezuela to capture the Miss World crown. Former Miss World 1 ...

in 1997. The 2023 Wellington Cup was the 150th edition of the race. The biggest dividend paid for a Wellington Cup winner was $180 for Simon de Montfort, ridden by Brian Dodds in 1972. In the 1999 race Miss Bailey paid $143.70 for the win. The 2024 edition was on the last race-day of calling by Tony Lee, after a 40 year career.

1954 racebook

File:1954 WRC Wellington Cup Racebook P1.jpg, 1954 WRC Wellington Cup racebook front cover File:1954 WRC Wellington Cup Racebook P2.jpg, 1954 WRC Wellington Cup raceday officials File:1954 WRC Wellington Cup Racebook P3.jpg, 1954 WRC Wellington Cup showing the winner, Golden Tan File:1954 WRC Wellington Cup Racebook P4.jpg, 1954 WRC Wellington Cup starters and results File:1954 WRC Wellington Cup Racebook P5.jpg, 1954 WRC Wellington Cup starters and results File:1954 WRC Wellington Cup Racebook P6.jpg, 1954 WRC Wellington Cup train arrangements

Records

Speed record: * 3:15.59 - Daria's Fun (1988) for 3200 metres. * 3:16.2 -

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(1970) for the pre-1974 distance of 2 miles. * 2:26.65 - Maygrove (2015) over the 2400m journey raced from 2009 and 2015. Most wins: * 3 -

Cynisca Cynisca (; or Kyniska, ; born ) was a wealthy Spartan princess. She is famous for being the first woman to win at the Olympic Games. Cynisca first entered the Olympics in 396 BC, where she won first prize competing with a team of horses she had t ...

(1890, 1891, 1892). * 3 -

Great Sensation Great Sensation (foaled 1952) was a champion New Zealand bred thoroughbred stayer. He was sired by Cassock and out of the mare, Speedy. Great Sensation began his racing career in 1956 at Wingatui Racecourse in Dunedin. Nicknamed ''Cracker,'' h ...

(1961, 1962, 1963). * 3 - Castletown (1991, 1992, 1994). Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 6 - Bob Derrett (1880, 1881, 1885, 1892, 1894, 1898) * 6 - Roy Reed (1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1928, 1932) * 5 - Bob Skelton (1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1969) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 - Michael Moroney (1996, 2000, 2014, 2016)

Winners of the Wellington Cup since 1953

Earlier winners

*1952 - Reformed *1951 - Almorahttps://natlib.govt.nz/records/22910346 *1951 - Prawns *1950 - Beaumaris *1949 - Royal Tan *1948 - Spare Part *1947 - Bruce *1946 - Golden Souvenir *1945 - Lambourn *1944 - Don Quex *1943 - The Joker *1941 -

Kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

*1941 - Happy Ending *1940 - Old Bill *1939 - Defaulter *1938 - Padishah *1937 - Ponty *1936 - Queen of Song *1935 - Vintage *1934 - Grand Jury *1933 - Royal Artist *1932 - Compris *1931 - Stanchion *1930 - Concentrate *1929 - Vertigern *1928 - Star Stranger *1927 - Rapier *1926 - Enthusiasm *1925 - Surveyor *1924 - Loughrea *1923 - Rapine *1922 - Insurrection *1921 - Maioha *1920 - Kilmoon *1919 - Red Ribbon *1919 - Rewi Poto *1919 - Oratress *1918 - Nobleman *1917 - Bunting *1916 - Bee *1915 - Pavlova *1914 - Kilrain *1913 - Sir Solo *1912 - Undecided *1911 - Miss Mischief *1910 - Crucinella *1909 - Blue Ribbon *1908 - Moloch *1907 - Achilles *1906 - Ropa *1905 - Nightfall *1904 - Convoy *1903 - Advance *1902 - St. Michael *1901 - Renown *1900 - Djin Djin *1899 - Daunt *1898 - Uniform *1897 - Strath Braan *1896 - Brooklet *1895 - Mahaki *1894 - Vogengang *1893 - Retina *1892 -

*1891 -

*1890 -

*1889 - Dudu *1888 - Beresford *1887 - Pasha *1886 - Nelson *1885 - Tasman *1884 - The Poet *1883 - Mischief *1882 - Hilda *1881 - Natator *1880 - Foul Play *1879 - Maritana *1878 - Lara *1877 - Guy Fawkes *1876 - Korari *1875 - Tambourini *1874 - Castaway *1868 - Numa *1867 - Policy

References