Zupacool has won the $150,000 Bendigo Cup (2200m) this afternoon with a new course record of 2 minutes 15 seconds.

Ridden by jockey Luke Nolen, Zupacool got the upper hand in the closing stages of the race after forcing himself into a needle eye opening in the straight to beat Crossthestart and Daka’s Gem.

Prior to the Bendigo Cup the four year old ran well in the Benalla and Cranbourne Cups however trainers John Symons and Sheila Laxon ran out of time to qualify the horse for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

Zupacool’s next race will be the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2500m) at Flemington.