The Melbourne Cup is a greyhound race in Australia. It is run over at Sandown Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in November.

History In 1956, the first Cup was staged at Sandown Park on the grass track over 565 yards under handicap condition and was worth £500 to the winner. In 1962, the Cup was won by Saskagay, the first bitch to win the race. The prize money was £2000. In 1966, handicap conditions were eliminated. Cheltenham Lass won after finishing second in 1965. In 1967, Neville Ballinger trained the Cup quinella with Swan Opal and Dollar Hunter. In 1970, Chris Dandy won for trainer Alex Kay, the fourth consecutive winner from New South Wales.

In 1978, actor Robert Stack presented the trophy and in 1979, actor Elke Sommer presented the trophy. In 1980, a silver Mercedes-Benz was given away to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the cup. The presenter was golfer Greg Norman. In 1985 with only a small kennel of four greyhounds, the Hall of Famer Ned Bryant trained the quinella with the Brian Lenehan owned Sydney Dingaan defeating Shining Chariot.

In 1992, Schweppes became the Cup sponsor and Master Giant the winner. In 2006, Betty's Angel completed the Group 1 ADVANCE Sapphire Crown – Schweppes Melbourne Cup double, setting a new race record of 29.51. In 2011, Dyna Tron in a race record 29.21 seconds. In 2020, Hard Style Rico became the first greyhound to break 29 seconds in a final when winning the final in 28.91.

In 2016, the Cup had total prize money of 600,000.

Past winners YearWinnerTrainerVenue & distanceTimeNotes1956 Rocketeer E Patterson (Sandown Park) 565 yards 30.6/161957 Rookie Rebel W Hopper (Sandown Park) 565 yards 30.14/16 1958 Marine Jet G Fraser (Sandown Park) 565 yards 30.9/161959 Capital King F Garbutt (Sandown Park) 565 yards 30.9/161960 Chief Ranee M Hammond (Sandown Park) 565 yards 30.13/16 1961 Bybrae A Bate (Sandown Park) 565 yards 30.12/161962 Saskagay A Ludlow (Sandown Park) 565 yards 30.8/161963 Saskaview A Ludlow (Sandown Park) 565 yards 30.10/161964Rocket Streak Fred Ladd (Sandown Park) 555 yards30.6/161965 Kinta’s Son Bob Bowman (Sandown Park) 555 yards 30.10/161966 Cheltenham Lass Paul Hogan (Sandown Park) 555 yards 30.10/161967 Swan Opal N Ballinger (Sandown Park) 555 yards 30.9/161968 Mr Spot T Rowland (Sandown Park) 555 yards 30.9/161969 Milimsimbi Stan Cleverley (Sandown Park) 555 yards 30.7/161970 Chris Dandy Alex Kay (Sandown Park) 555 yards 31.1/161971 Gerard The Gent Herb Skiewa (Sandown Park) 555 yards 30.7/161972 Gold Grotto Ed Tucker (Sandown Park) 555 yards 30.6/161973 New Mariner R Jennings (Sandown Park) 513 metres 31.491974 Kwik Metal Cap Abbott (Sandown Park) 513 metres 31.021975 Dynamic Dean Paul Hogan (Sandown Park) 513 metres 31.321976 Carrington Jade K Murphy (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.701977 Milepost Tony Collins (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.941978 Tangaloa Joe Hilli (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.971979 Acclaim Star W A Fletcher (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.501980 Black Aztec H Sarkis (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.741981 Satan's Shroud Graeme Bate (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.881982 Kid Scandal Reg Johnson (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.701983 Lady Lilly Colin Kelly (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.861984 Rustic Venture Peter Denro (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.921985 Sydney Dingaan Ned Bryant (Sandown Park) 513 metres 30.441986 Legendary Kid Jim Coleman (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.621987 Speedy Mick J Schroeders (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.521988 Hua R Symes (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.011989 Fair Sentence Graeme Bate (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.191990 Highly Blessed Doug Ferrermi (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.531991 Fox Hunt Peter Jovanovic (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.501992 Master Giant Peter Akathiotis (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.301993 Silver Chisel J Fleming (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.251994 Light Of Fire Jason Thompson (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.051995 City BlitzP Giles (Sandown Park) 511 metres 30.061996Henry Hand D Dean (Sandown Park) 515 metres 29.861997 Roanokee R Green (Sandown Park) 515 metres 29.961998 Rapid Journey J Curruthers (Sandown Park) 515 metres 29.911999 Kantarn Bale Graeme Bate (Sandown Park) 515 metres 29.732000 Go Wild Teddy M Bell (Sandown Park) 515 metres 29.732001 Classic Capri Judy Jayley (Sandown Park) 515 metres 29.652002 Excite Ability Len Poore (Sandown Park) 515 metres 29.772003Bombastic Shiraz Darren Cairns(Sandown Park) 515 metres29.822004Hallucinate Darren McDonald (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.732005 Closing Argument C Taylor (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.942006 Betty's Angel Paul Bartolo (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.512007 Shanlyn Prince Darren McDonald (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.602008 Surgeon Darren McDonald (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.872009 Lord Ducal Jon Roberts(Sandown Park) 515 metres29.532010 El Grand Senor Carolyn Jones(Sandown Park) 515 metres29.552011 Dyna Tron Andrea Dailly(Sandown Park) 515 metres29.222012 Got A Moment Jason Thompson(Sandown Park) 515 metres29.372013 Black Magic Opal Jason Thompson (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.372014 Dyna Villa Jenny Hunt(Sandown Park) 515 metres29.362015Dyna Double One Andrea Dailly(Sandown Park) 515 metres29.162016 Ando's Mac Jason Mackay(Sandown Park) 515 metres29.482017 Aston Dee Bee Seona Thompson(Sandown Park) 515 metres29.362018 My RedeemerDavid Geall (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.382019Whiskey Riot Anthony Azzopardi (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.442020Hard Style Rico Luckie Karabitsakos (Sandown Park) 515 metres28.91 (track record)2021Koblenz David Geall (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.402022 Yachi Bale Mark Delbridge (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.212023 Aussie Rockshttps://tasracing.com.au/news/owners-living-the-melbourne-cup-ride Geoff Mitchell (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.551st Tasmanian winner2024 Explicit Jason Thompson (Sandown Park) 515 metres29.29

Conditions The final of the Melbourne Cup involves the winners of eight heats conducted the previous week. In order for a greyhound to qualify for the heats, it must win an 'exemption race' - a Group 1 sprint race, a Victorian country cup (except the Healesville Cup) or a group race at Sandown Park 515m - in the 12 months preceding the Melbourne Cup final.

The previous year's Melbourne Cup winner and all finalists in the 'Shootout,' a four-dog winner-takes-all event the week prior to the Melbourne Cup heats, also qualify for the Melbourne Cup heats, as do the winners of a Melbourne Cup Prelude. Melbourne Cup Preludes were first conducted in 1995.

Melbourne Cup Preludes are conducted every two weeks, with the final Prelude series conducted on the same night as the Shootout. Remaining places in the Melbourne Cup heats are awarded to the best performed greyhounds that have competed in at least one Melbourne Cup Prelude series.

Most wins by trainers Three-time winners: Graeme Bate: Satan's Shroud (1981), Fair Sentence (1989), Kantarn Bale (1999) Darren McDonald: Hallucinate (2004), Shanlyn Prince (2007), Surgeon (2008) Jason Thompson: Light Of Fire (1994), Got A Moment (2012), Black Magic Opal (2013)

Race Records Fastest time - 28.909 (track record) by Hard Style Rico, 2020 Biggest margin - 9 lengths (Fox Hunt, 1991) Smallest margin - Nose (Whiskey Riot, 2019) Longest priced winner - Classic Capri, $25.90 (2001) Shortest priced winner - Gold Grotto, 2/1 on ($1.50) (1972) First Tasmanian Winner - Aussie Rocks, (2023)

See also Greyhound racing in Australia

References