Launceston Cup

Winners and Past Results for the Launceston Cup.

The Launceston Cup is one out of three black type races held in Tasmania. The Group 3 event is an open handicap race run over a distance of 2400 meters, with set weight and penalty conditions for horses aged 2 years and above.

$200,000 awaits the winners in the race held during the summer racing carnival in Launceston, which is one of the highlights of Launceston's social calendar.

It is run every year on a Wednesday afternoon towards the end of February at the Launceston Race Track and is hosted by the Tasmanian Turf Club.

The Launceston Cup suits handy staying types and attracts a predominantly local field with only a few horses coming in from the mainland. The logical lead up to this race is the Hobart Cup, and as such consists of handy Tasmanian staying types. The 2011 Launceston Cup was won by Fast Future, followed by White Yard, and Geegees Blackflash finishing third.

The Launceston Cup was first run in 1865 as a principal race which was won by Panic. It was awarded Group 3 status in 1980, with Summer recorded as the winner of the first Group 3 event.

The race was run originally over a distance of 2600 meters, but was shortened in 2002 to 2400 meters. The other two Group three events are the Tasmanian Derby and the Hobart Cup, where horses travel over 2200 metres in both events that are held in February, before the Launceston Cup. Many of the leading stayers make their way to the Launceston Cup after an outing in these events. The Hobart Cup is of particular interest as it runs under the same handicap conditions. The Tasmanian Derby is a Group 3 race for Fillies and Mares, run over 1200 metres a week before the Hobart Cup.

Finishing unplaced in the Hobart Cup, Fast Future in 2011, won this race, while Bid Spotter finished unplaced, after winning the Hobart Cup. Horse such as Zacielo in 2004, and St. Andrews in 2002, have both won the Hobart Cup and the Launceston Cup. While Ista Kareem in 2008, won this event after placing third in the Hobart Cup.

The Launceston track is located 3 kms from the centre of Mowbray. The oval shaped track has a short 230 meter straight in its 1830 meter course length, with horses travelling in an an anti-clockwise direction.