Newcastle Gold Cup

Winners and Past Results

The Newcastle Gold Cup is a Group 3 event held annually in September at Newcastle Racecourse in New South Wales. This 2300 metre event is run under open handicap conditions as part of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival with prize money worth $185,000 on offer. Free $200 Bet

The Newcastle Gold Cup started way back in 1898 as a principal race and was granted Group 2 status in 1980. However, in 2001, it was downgraded to Group 3. The race usually finds more quality gallopers than the other average country runners, mainly due to the timing of the event. The field is usually made up of horses planning to contest in other staying races during the season such as the Group 1 Caulfield Cup, Group 1 Cox Plate, and sometimes even the prestigious Group 1 Melbourne Cup. Some of the top performers in the Newcastle Gold Cup target other races such as Group 1 AJC Metropolitan Handicap and the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality Handicap.

Notable winners over the years have been Our Magic Man in 1990, Silent Impact in 2000, and Green Moon in 2011. The most successful winner of the Newcastle Gold Cup is undoubtedly Gurners Lane in 1982. He went on to create history by becoming the seventh horse out of eleven to complete the rare double of winning both the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup. He also won the then Group 2 AJC St. Leger and VRC St. Leger in 1982.

Green Moon, who placed first in 2011, went on to place second in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup. He came into the race after finishing runner up in the 2000 metre Sofitel Girl's Day Out Handicap at Flemington Racecourse. Home On A Wing came in second in the same year, but failed to place better than sixth in his later races. Gazza Guru who placed third in 2011 at Newcastle came in from a number of good placements in a variety of races, and managed to capitalize and go ahead and place in the top ten in all but one of his next six races.

Newcastle Racecourse is located in the Broadmeadow suburb in New South Wales, which is considered the social epicentre of the town. The track is operated by the Newcastle Jockey Club that conducts the Newcastle Newmarket Handicap, Cameron Handicap, and the Newcastle Spring Stakes, which are some the major events held here.

2011 Newcastle Gold Cup

The Melbourne Cup looms for Green Moon after the five-year-old produced a stirring performance to win this Group 3 event. Green Moon started from barrier 17 and was immediately pushed forward to the front of the field, and despite racing wide for the length of the back straight, he was able to hold off all challengers on the run home to win by a head. Home On A Wing chased hard but had to settle for second with Gazza Guru just half a head back in third.

2011 Newcastle Gold Cup result

1. Green Moon
2. Home On A Wing
3. Gazza Guru

Then came:

4. Raeburn
5. The Verminator
6. Splendid Honours
7. Hume
8. Bellagio Wynn
9. Warrior Within
10. Viking Legend
11. Spechenka
12. Timetable
13. Tamanu Park
14. Flaming Circle
15. Essence Of Success