The Sydney Cup is a Gr 1 Australian handicap run over 3200m in
April each year at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney for thoroughbreds
three-years-old and up. Part of the annual Randwick Autumn Carnival,
the Sydney Cup is one of the feature races of the event. In 2008 the
race carried a purse of AUD$800,000.
Like many races in Australia, the Sydney Cup has a rich and
historical heritage as it dates all the way back to 1862. In fact,
that year it was won by a horse called Talleyrand. Since then the
Sydney Cup has attracted many of the strongest and quickest
thoroughbreds from all over Australia, and is still a large
crowd-pleaser.
Since its inauguration, the Sydney Cup has only been won by the same
horse twice on five occasions - The Barb in 1868 and 1869, Carbine
in 1889 and 1890, Mosaic in 1939 and 1940, Veiled Threat in 1942 and
1944 and most recently Tie The Knot in 1998 and 1999. Tie The Knot
also won many other top races.
These include the Underwood Stakes in 1998; the Chipping Norton
Stakes in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002; the BMW Stakes in 1999 and
2000; and the Ranvet Stakes in 2000 and 2001. Tie The Knot was also
named Australian Champion Stayer in 2000, one of Australia's highest
horse racing honors.
Another standout Sydney Cup winner is Makybe Diva, who won the race
in 2004, and is the only Australian thoroughbred to win the
Melbourne Cup three times. |
