Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Race Information
The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup is a 2000 metre handicap race run by the Murrumbidgee Turf Club in late April or early May. It is held at Wagga as the feature race of a 2 day Racing Carnival.
- Race Type: Listed
- Distance: 2000 metres
- Conditions: Open handicap
- Track: Wagga Racecourse, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
- Prizemoney: $200,000
- Date: Friday 3 May 2024

Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Race History
See the 2024 Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Preview and results.
See the 2023 Wagga Cup Preview and results.
See the 2022 Wagga Cup Preview and results.
See the 2021 Wagga Cup Preview and results.
This is the premier race of the Murrumbidgee Turf Club. It dates back to 1871 when it was called the Free Handicap and was won by a horse called Wisdom and the prizemoney was 300 sovereigns. In 1874 the race was run as the Wagga Cup with prizemoney of 500 sovereigns and in 1875 prizemoney doubled to 1000 sovereigns. !876 was the first running of the Wagga Gold Cup where the prizemoney of 1000 guineas was also supplemented with a gold cup provided by a sponsor, and for the next 14 years these cups were donated by wealthy sportspeople residing in the south-west of New South Wales. You can find pictures of these early gold cups online and they they were magnificent much sought after trophies.
These days the race is held as part of a two-day Racing Carnival with the Town Plate on the Thursday and the Wagga Gold Cup on the Friday, normally the first Friday in May. It is a major event for the town with people flocking there from across NSW and the Canberra region. Accommodation can be hard to fiind with many people booking a year in advance.
It is now a race that gives the winner exemption from the ballot for the Big Dance.
Useful Facts
Last mare to win: Call Me Lily (2002)
Multiple winners: Allez Bijou (1981 & 1984); Big Bickies (1979 & 1980); Cop ( 1976 & 1978); What Fun (1967 & 1968); Flash Gem (1957 & 1958); Collison (1948 & 1949).
Fastest time (2000m): Goodwood (1999) 1:59:8
Interesting trivia: In 2020 House Of Cartier was first past the post but was disqualified due to a positive swab, making John Thompson’s overseas import Maurus the new winner.
Past winners of the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup
Winners of past Wagga Wagga Gold Cups include horses that go on to win major spring races.
Year | Winner | Second | Third |
2024 | Fawkner Park | Political Debate | Taramansour |
2023 | Wicklow | Lion’s Roar | Kukeracha |
2022 | Aleas | Dream Runner | Five Kingdom |
2021 | Inverloch | Spirit Ridge Yonkers |
* dead heat 2nd |
2020 | Maurus | Master Of Arts | High Opinion |
2019 | Abdon | High Opinion | Willi Willi |
2018 | Life Less Ordinary | Self Sense | Montauk |
2017 | Stampede | Life Less Ordinary | Cool Chap |
2016 | Messene | Iggi Pop | Adirondack |
2015 | Landlocked | Faust | Gypsy Diamond |
2014 | Trade Commissioner | Beyond Thankful | Price Of Glory |
2013 | Scream Machine | Devised | Coliseo |
2012 | Coliseo | Devised | Rain Drum |
2011 | Voice Commander | World Wide | Ironstein |
2010 | Sainthood | Barlagarney | Twin Wing |
2009 | Macknuckle | Cape Breton | Penrickson |
2008 | Tommifrancs | Limani | Grand Zulu |
2007 | Fooram | Mi Casa | EL Meroo |
2006 | Mc Lir | Jamberoo | Prime Century |
2005 | Natural Blitz | My Tally | Xlerate |
2004 | Vanquished | Not Fussy | Maskerado |
2003 | Kreisler Mirage | Majestically | Johnny Reb |
2002 | Call Me Lily | Bedouin | Hydromaster |
2001 | Regal Touch | Viva La Vie | Norm’s Bridle |
2000 | Sporting | Kugelhope | Lady Alate |
1999 | Goodwood | Ronzino | Count Scenario |
1998 | Chance Affair | Star Covet | Shearer Claude |
1997 | Here’s The Prince | Kenbelle | Jovial Dancer |
1996 | Nobellotto | Cheunganoff | Dupain |
1995 | Top Guy | Cheunganoff | Soup Kitchen |
1994 | ** Race not run ** | ||
1993 | Antwerp | Golden Step | Moville Peter |
1992 | Fleet Dancer | Touson | Mill Court |
1991 | Greenback | Moville Peter | Polyphony |
1990 | Mill Court | Stirring | Port Kingdom |
1989 | Abstraction | Deleclair | Corkage |
1988 | Sasha Bijou | Pass The Hat | All Spades |
1987 | Sordon Lad | All Spades | Amir |
1986 | Poachinellar | In The Field | Pride Of Indies |
1985 | Pride Of Indies | Godarchi | Loyal And True |
1984 | Allez Bijou | Shadameneo | Kalimna Queen |
1983 | Madame Monet | So Good | Hussar’s Command |
1982 | Sean’s Pride | Shadameneo | Flairgun |
1981 | Allez Bijou | Light Wish | Paignton |
1980 | Big Bickies | Airman | King Green |
1979 | Big Bickies | Manaroa | Hearts Are Trumps |
1978 | Double Cop | Nimmity Lad | Carls Gift |
1977 | Captaincy | Smokewood | Gala Choice |
1976 | Double Cop | Bronco Boy | Helmsman Golden Button |
1975 | Arctic Island | Sequester | Red Hope |
1974 | Broadway Hit | By Command | Mr Timor |
1973 | Red Hope | Mr Timor | Ferocious |
1972 | Delamar | Coltimor | Bordeaux |
1971 | Talent Beau | Dark Raven | Coltimor |
1970 | Super Gem | Grand Canyon | Temple Court |
1969 | Chanel | Blow Hard | Star Field |
1968 | What Fun | Grey Parade | Elf Boy |
1967 | What Fun | Gloves Off | Vignoble |
1966 | Man About Town | Glo Whirl | Terelyan |
1965 | Vignoble | Ribbonwood | Pale Face |
1964 | Bullara | Pale Face | Slasher |
1963 | Lucky Concession | Politician | Lady Java |
1962 | Ribbonwood | La Jolia | Murchison |
1961 | Pyaray | Flash Gem | Crystal Port |
1960 | Maori Prince | Avon d’Or | Gipsy Creek |
1959 | Gipsy Creek | Flash Gem | Humber Hawk |
1958 | Flash Gem | Buddong | Ulandra |
1957 | Flash Gem | Commence | Mangopiah |
1956 | Golden Snows | Bingagong | French Beau |
1955 | Cherry Wood | Mooncoin | Off Hand |
1954 | Buthus | Easy Rise | Mooncoin |
1953 | Two Birdies | Belavia | Tarrawingee |
1952 | High Sense | Shining Ray | Capias |
1951 | Shining Ray | Photon | Blue Ocean |
1950 | Photon | Marcher | Peter Robinson |
1949 | Collisun | Bolivia | Leetona |
1948 | Collisun | Trumps | Megaron |
1947 | Clyde | Tattling | Stage Law |
1946 | Peter | Caladin | The Trapper |
1945 | Dan Patch | Farmhand | Grahamstown |