The Caulfield Cup is a part of the renowned Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. The five-million-dollar Group 1 race involves stayers and covers a distance of 2,400m. It’s held every year in October, with the Caulfield cup dates for 2020, set for Saturday, 17th October 2020.
At the moment, the cup is run under handicap conditions. The MRC (Melbourne Racing Club) has, however, communicated its intent to change these conditions. If it goes through with the changes, the cup will now be run under the weight-for-age conditions.
Speaking of age, for a horse to qualify for this race, it must be a thoroughbred and at least three years old. Horses can receive automatic Caulfield cup nominations if they manage to win at least three early events. These are:
- The Mornington Cup
- Herbert Power Stakes
- Toorak Handicap
Brief History
The Caulfield Cup has evolved to become one of the wealthiest Thoroughbred horse races in Australia. It’s held mid-October every year on the 3rd and last day of the MRC spring carnival.
Good performance in this cup can qualify a horse to participate in the Melbourne Cup, which occurs sixteen days after the Caulfield Cup.
During the second world war, the race was traditionally held at the Flemington Racecourse. The organizers, however, decided to run it in divisions during the 1943 event.
Quick Caulfield Cup Facts
- Since its inauguration, only five horses have managed to complete the Toorak handicap in one season.
- To date, the event organizers have announced seven dual winners. The last Caulfield Cup winner was the Ming Dynasty (1977,1980).
- The track direction at the Caulfield Racecourse is left-handed.
Which Horse Is Likely to Emerge the Victor?
As you start looking into which horses are likely to win this cup, you should pay special attention to the form indicators. Some indicators to keep in mind include the weight allocated to each runner, their experience over the mile, and the lead-up run of each title contender.
Other vital considerations to remember include:
- The Four-Year-Old-Factor: In the past, four-year-olds have had an impressive showing in this cup
- Turnbull Lead-Up: Some of the past Caulfield Cup winners have been produced by the Turnbull Stakes, which occur in the early months of spring. The stakes cover a distance of 2,000m.
- Skip the Mares: Only two mares have won the cup in the last decade, with the most recent being Jameka, which won it in 2016.
Caulfield Cup Nominations
The early nominations for Caulfield cup come to a close in late August. Over the years, they have attracted an average of one hundred and fifty stayers. For the 2020 cup, the nominations were closed on 27th August 2020 and managed to attract a record one hundred and seventy-seven stayers.
Among those who were nominated to attend the event this year are eight out of the top ten runners from last year’s event. The nomination is meant to give them a second shot at the cup.
Vow and Declare, who was the runner-up for the event, also received a nomination. It’s worth noting that despite coming in at the second position for the Caulfield Cup, Vow and Declare emerged victorious in the Melbourne Cup.
It’s expected that the runner will this year be joined by other entrants that have been trained by Danny O’Brien. They include Russian Camelot, an all-in favorite, Miami Bound, and King of Leogrance, the reigning Adelaide Cup champion.
Race Number for the Caulfield Cup
There’s a high likelihood that the Caulfield Cup will run as Race 9 on 17th October 2020. It will also serve as the finale of this festival. On that day, there will be a total of ten races held at the racecourse.
