Australian Cup

The Australian Cup is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, held under Weight for Age conditions, over a distance of 2000 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in March during the VRC Autumn Racing Carnival. Total prize money for the race is A$3,000,000. History The race was once Australia's premier long distance race, raced at a distance of 18 furlongs (3621m) - thus, longer than the Melbourne Cup. In 1943 the race was shortened to 17 furlongs 110 yards to allow the race to be started from the top of Flemington's famous Straight Six, to have bigger fields. The VRC in the early 1960s shortened the distance to miles to attract classier middle distance gallopers.