The Doomben Cup is a Gr 1 Australian weight-for-age horse race
run in May each year by three-year-olds and above over 2020m at
Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane. Currently the Doomben Cup offers a
purse of AUD$500,000. The race is part of the Doomben racing
carnival, hosted every winter in Brisbane.
The Doomben Cup is considered the premier distance event of the
carnival which is why its attracts so many strong stayers each year.
In fact, many of the Doomben Cups' past winners have been some of
Australia's best gallopers. One legendary example is Rough Habit,
who won in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
Inaugurated in 1933, the Doomben Cup has seen many changes in its
race distance. For instance, from 1933 until 1937 it was run over 10
furlongs (2000m), while from 1938 until 1972 it was run over 11
furlongs (2200m). From 1990 until now it has been contested over
2020m.
Being such a high-caliber race, there have been many notable winners
over and above Rough Habit that have delivered dazzling victories.
Some of the more recent of these include Danewin in 1995, Juggler in
1996, Might And Power in 1998, Mr Bureaucrat in 2002 and Above Deck
in 2006.
But it was the 1989 Doomben Cup winner Might and Power who really
impressed. Trained by Jack Denman, the Zabeel gelding won many other
Gr 1 races and was named Australian Horse of the Year in 1998 and
1999. He was also inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. |
