Mornington Cup Race Information
The Mornington Cup is a 2400 metre open handicap race run by the Mornington Race Club in the autumn. It is the feature event of the meeting which also includes the Hareeba Stakes.
- Race Type: Listed
- Distance: 2400 metres
- Conditions: Open handicpa
- Track: Mornington Racecourse, Mornington, Victoria
- Prizemoney: $300,000
- Date: Saturday 20 April 2024
Mornington Cup Race History
See the 2024 Mornington Cup Preview and results.
See the 2023 Mornington Cup Preview and results.
See the 2022 Mornington Cup Preview and results.
See the 2021 Mornington Cup Preview and results.
This race normally attracts a quality field of stayers with entries from Melbourne’s leading trainers and jockeys as the winner is exempt from the ballot for the Caulfield Cup.
It was first held in 1921 over eight and a half furlongs (1700 metres) and carried prizemoney of 80 pounds and a trophy valued at 75 pounds. By 1928 the prizemoney had increased to 280 pounds. In 1948 the prizemoney was 1,000 pounds and in 1987 prizemoney was $45,000. The 1983 race was won by Silver Bounty who had won the 1981 Caulfield Cup. In 2000 the Mornington Cup prizemoney of $150,000 made it the richest in country Victoria and the Hareeba Stakes was added to the Cup Day with prizemoney of $75,000, making it the richest sprint race in country Victoria.
In 2004 Victorian galloper Gunnamatta scored his third straight in the race, which was also the fourth win in the event for winning rider Damien Oliver. The race was run over 2000m up to 2008 and over 2400m from 2009 onwards. The race will continue to attract top gallopers because the winner also wins ballot-free entry into the Caulfield Cup.
Useful Facts
Last mare to win; Voile DÓr (2001)
Multiple winners: Gunnamatta (2002, 2003 & 2004));
Fastest time (2400m): Berisha (2016) 2:25:42 (track record)
Interesting trivia:
Past winners of the Mornington Cup
Winners of past Mornington Cups include horses that go on to race at Group level.
Year | Winner | Second | Third |
2024 | Esti Feny | Little Mix | Strawberry Rock |
2023 | Right You Are | Hezashocka | Herman Hesse |
2022 | Crystal Pegasus | Pondus | Dadoozdart |
2021 | Mount Popa | Nonconformist | Irish Flame |
2020 | Aktau | Inverloch | Skelm |
2019 | Self Sense | Tarquin | Trap For Fools |
2018 | Kings Will Dream | Harrison | Fastnet Dragon |
2017 | Tally | Vengeur Masque | Settler’s Stone |
2016 | Berisha | Big Memory | Lucky Lucky Lucky |
2015 | Banca Mo | Big Memory | Don Doremo |
2014 | Instrumentalist | Travolta | Macedonian |
2013 | Tuscan Fire | Durnford | Macedonian |
2012 | Norsqui | Drunken Sailor | Sea Galleon |
2011 | Guyno | Cedarberg | Shewan |
2010 | Capecover | Al Wafi | Fairygem |
2009 | Banana Man | Capecover | Sooze |
2008 | Attrition | Arrowsweep | Correct Amondo |
2007 | Hofmeister | Forest Knight | Itstheone |
2006 | Ulysees | Highclere | Our Spur |
2005 | Kounthekash | Fonome | Cool Trent |
2004 | Gunnamatta | Classic Benbara | Just Heaven |
2003 | Gunnamatta | Lodger | Go Straight Home |
2002 | Gunnamatta | Mt Casanova | Kabila |
2001 | Voile D’Or | Broroma Star | Steal A Scene |
2000 | Litmus | Nazzaro | Fuss |
1999 | Dancing Sculptor | Flak Jacket | Party Prince |
1998 | Court Of Honour | Party Prince | Sergris |
1997 | Palos Verdes | Raft | Grey Alex |
1996 | Seductive Belle | Toil | Kiwi Golfer |
1995 | Force Toss | Sure Cut | Rob’s Reason |
1994 | Cheval Cavalier | Carranqui | Bold Juggler |
1993 | Native Neptune | Time Of My Life | Big Barron |
1992 | Big Colony | Pegaic | Jusrullah |
1991 | Varo’s Las | Gopak | Luisant Bijou |
1990 | Go Timmy | Sir Jupiter | Latin Ruler |
1989 | Silent Prince | Stable Gossip | Fendalton |
1988 | Happy View | Ideal Centreman | Our Palliser |
1987 | Royal Sceptre | Emulous | Alternate |
1986 | Game Trooper | Rosh | Sea Boy |
1985 | Bounty Hustler | Flying Sox | Woking |
1984 | Valiant Club | Royal Sea | Millawar |
1983 | Silver Bounty | Kaysiboy | Come To London |
1982 | Kaysiboy | Lord Mop | Sean’s Pride |
1981 | Gallant Spectre | Drumshambo | Ponte D’Oro |
1980 | Pigalle | Warman | Ghost Dancer |
1979 | Gold Hand | Ponte D’Oro | Exaltara |
1978 | Silver Shaft | Cardinal Courage | Crepellox |
1977 | Sarsha’s Choice | Drumshambo | Gay Master |
1976 | Gay Master | Grand Scale | Impeller |
1975 | Latin Reign | High Sail | Realgar |
1974 | Gay Marquis | Bastille Beggar | Brandy Balloon |
1973 | Scotch And Dry | Grand Harvest | Boonoorong |
1972 | Royal Martlet | Jan’s Beau | Cleric |
1971 | Rajah Sahib | Mateship | Brecknock |
1970 | Queen’s Quill | Arctic Symbol | Lochcourt |
1969 | Sunhaven | Fans | Better Crown |
1968 | Bobalex | Padtheway | Debhel Boy |
1967 | Whitsome | Unrivalled | Tornadic |
1966 | Sunny Rose | Craftsman | Bartax |
1965 | Craftsman | Confidence | Sharply |
1964 | Vineyard | Faitiam | Ambrook Glen |
1963 | Laidley | Minaroo | Carolina |