Geelong Cup

Winners and Past Results.

The Geelong Cup is hosted by the Geelong Racing Club. This event is Group 3 open race held under handicap conditions at Geelong Racecourse, in Geelong, Melbourne. Horses travel over 2400 metres to prove their staying ability and a chance to grab prize money worth $225,000. Free $200 Bet

The Geelong Cup is held annually in early October during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Important to note is that the day of this prestigious event in Geelong is a public holiday in the city. Most notably, owners and trainers saddle their best horses since the winner gains automatic entry to the prestigious Melbourne Cup.

The Geelong Cup was run for the first time in 1872 with a horse named Flying Scud recorded as the first winner. Many horses who have won the prestigious Geelong Cup have also won the Melbourne Cup which include Media Puzzle in 2002, Americain winning in 2010 and Dunaden in 2011, all scoring a Geelong Cup/Melbourne Cup double.

The Geelong Racing Club is the only club which is not located in the Metropolitan area of the city. The race track is situated 72 kilometres south west of the Melbourne. The Geelong Cup attracts the toughest horses that test their staying power and condition themselves for other spring races of the season. Most of the international horses use the event to determine their standing and the areas they need to improve on for the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup later in the season. The popular Group 1 Caulfield Cup and the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes are generally the lead up races for horses participating in the Geelong Cup. Some of the glorious winners of this event in the recent years include Dunaden in 2011, Americain in 2010 and Leica Ding in 2009.

Dunaden finished ninth in the 3000 M Group 2 Darley Prix Kergorlay at Deauville in the UK on his way to winning the Geelong Cup. Later, he went on to win the $1.7 million Hong Kong Vase over 2400 metres at the Sha Tin track in Hong Kong. Earlier Americain won the Geelong/Melbourne Cup double while Crime Scene, sixth in the 2009 Geelong Cup ran a close second in the Melbourne Cup. Winner in 2008, Bauer went on to lose narrowly to Viewed. Another outstanding stayer to win the Geelong/Melbourne Cup double is Media Puzzle in 2002. Zazzman followed a Geelong Cup victory with a brilliant third spot in the 2004 Melbourne Cup with runner up She's Archie finishing second behind Makybe Diva, which is proof that the Geelong Cup is a race to follow closely during the spring carnival.

2011 Geelong Cup

Widely considered as the perfect lead-in to the Melbourne Cup, this Group 3 feature was won by French import Dunaden. The six-year-old was patiently ridden, settling near the back of the field before steadily progressing towards the leaders by the turn. In the straight, Dunaden engaged in a tussle with pre-race favourite Tanby before pulling away to win by just under a length, with Bauer, yet another import, finishing strongly to take third.

2011 Geelong Cup result

1. Dunaden
2. Tanby
3. Bauer

Then came:

4. Showcause
5. Perfect Pecs
6. Back In Black
7. Spechenka
8. I'm Jake
9. Hume
10. Red Eye Special
11. Above Average
12. Diyaraka
FF. Rebel Soldier