BTC Cup

The Kingsford Smith or BTC Cup is a 1300 metre weight-for-age race held by the Brisbane Racing Club. Prior to 2017 it was the first Group 1 race of the Brisbane Winter Carnival and is held at Eagle Farm during May.

• Race Type: Group 1, Open WFA
• Distance: 1,300 metres
• Track: Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane, Queensland
• Date: Saturday 26 May 2018

The BTC Cup dates back to 1964 when it was held as a quality handicap over 7 furlongs (about 1400 metres) and was won by Rashlore. In 1973 the distance was shortened to 1200 metres then from 1980 to 1990 it was run over 1350 metres. In 1991 it was returned to the 1200 metre distance, and was made a weight-for-age race. In 2017 it was increased to 1300m and moved to later in the Brisbane carnival. It was given Group 1 status in 2006.

Over the relatively short history of the race it has had many names such as the Delaney Quality Handicap, Tourist Minister’s Cup, Robin’s Kitchen Cup, Foster’s Cup, Carlton Cup, Wyndham Estate Cup, Richmond Grove Cup and Kingsford Smith Cup. It is part of the Doomben winter sprint treble along with the Group 3 BRC Sprint (formerly BTC Sprint) over 1350 metres and the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 over 1350 metres. In 2013 it was moved to Eagle Farm for the first time ever, in anticipation of Black Caviar running in it, as it can hold a bigger crowd. Unfortunately she was retired a couple of weeks before the race.

Interstate horses often compete in this race as it was the first Group 1 race held in the Brisbane carnival. Favourites and second favourites have a very good record of winning this race, although 2010 winner Albert The Fat started at 20 to 1. Three-year-old colts and geldings have won this race several times but Sea Siren in 2012 was the first three-year-old filly to win.

BTC Cup Final Field & Odds 2018

See below for the early betting markets on this years race BTC Cup.

‘Odds not currently available’

BTC Cup Preview & Tips 2018

Track: Good    Weather: Fine

Following the early scratching of Spieth, 10 runners remain for the $700,000 2018 Altus Traffic Kingsford-Smith Cup, and six of them had their last start in the Doomben 10,000 a fortnight ago. The favourite is Le Romain who was a close 3^rd in the Doomben 10,000, following a close 2^nd in the All Aged Stakes. Second favourite is Impending who resumed with a win in the Group 2 Victory Stakes then ran on out wide to grab 2^nd in the Doomben 10,000. Third in the market is three-year-old filly Champagne Cuddles who has 3 wins and 5 places from 8 starts and resumed for a comfortable win in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas last start.

English returned to form with a narrow win in the Doomben 10,000 last start. Care To Think has a great record at this track and distance and can be excused his 6^th in the Doomben 10,000 as he was vetted and found to have a respiratory issue. Volpe Veloce is a well-performed New Zealander with 10 wins from 15 starts, mostly over 1200m, who won the Group 1 Railway (1600m) at Ellerslie. All other runners are currently over 17 to 1.

The following are the top 4 selections from our tipster panel for this years race.

Jo’s Tips
1 Impending
11 Champagne Cuddles
9 English
2 Le Romain

Previous winners of the BTC Cup :

Notable winners include Falvelon (2000 and 2003) and Buck’s Pride (1993 and 1994) who both won the race twice. Thorn Park (2004) who is the only horse to win the Stradbroke Handicap in the same year since this race became weight-for-age. Barossa Boy (1992) is the only horse to win the Doomben winter sprint treble in the same years although Chief De Beers (1996) won them in different years.