The Bendigo Cup is a Group 3 staying event held at Bendigo Racecourse on the Wednesday before Victoria Derby Day.
2024 Bendigo Cup Results
- 1st: #9 Sea King
- 2nd: #2 Berkeley Square
- 3rd: #12 Star Vega
Bendigo Cup News
- Likely 24-Horse Melbourne Cup 2023 Field: Interpretation on Cusp of Start
- 2023 Melbourne Cup Calls Bendigo Cup Winner Interpretation: Another Runner for Maher & Eustace
- 2023 Bendigo Cup Field & Betting: Interpretation Needs Win & Penalty To Make Melbourne Cup Field
- Bendigo Cup Winner High Emocean Sweating on 2022 Melbourne Cup Start
- 2022 Bendigo Cup Field Features Last Minute Melbourne Cup Horses
The Bendigo Cup is a 2400m staying event held at Bendigo Racecourse in Victoria during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and serves as a potential late Melbourne Cup lead-up race.
2024 Bendigo Cup Results
- 1st: #9 Sea King ($5.50)
- 2nd: #2 Berkeley Square
- 3rd: #12 Star Vega
The Melbourne Cup is now calling for the Harry Eustace-trained UK raider Sea King ($5.50) who destroyed his Australian rivals by 3.75 lengths with a superior staying performance in the 2024 Bendigo Cup results to hopefully earn a spot in the 24-horse field on Tuesday.
Click here for the full story.
Bendigo Cup 2024 Odds & Results
Apiam Bendigo Cup (G3)
Runner Details | Win | Place |
---|---|---|
1st
9. Sea King (3)
J: Declan Bates 54.5kg
T: Harry Eustace |
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2nd
2. Berkeley Square (8)
J: Jaylah Kennedy 58.5kg
T: Dan O'Sullivan |
||
3rd
12. Star Vega (12)
J: Billy Egan 54kg
T: A & S Freedman |
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4th
4. Herman Hesse (13)
J: Ben Melham 57.5kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
||
5th
5. Knight's Choice (1)
J: Robbie Dolan 57kg
T: J G Symons & S Laxon |
||
6th
14. I'm A Dirty Rascal (6)
J: Beau Mertens 54kg
T: G Waterhouse & A Bott |
||
7th
10. Immediacy (7)
J: Luke Currie 54kg
T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
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8th
1. Vow And Declare (11)
J: Craig Williams 59kg
T: Danny O'Brien |
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9th
3. Le Don De Vie (15)
J: Mark Zahra 58.5kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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10th
13. Whisky On The Hill (2)
J: Ethan Brown 54kg
T: Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson |
||
11th
11. Sunsets (9)
J: Michael Dee 54kg
T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
||
12th
15. Staunch (4)
J: Teodore Nugent 54kg
T: Matt Laurie |
||
13th
7. Horrifying (10)
J: Blake Shinn 56.5kg
T: Lindsey Smith |
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14th
6. First Light (5)
J: Damian Lane 56.5kg
T: Chris Waller |
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15th
8. Aurora's Symphony (14)
J: Blaike McDougall 56kg
T: Symon Wilde |
Data retrieved: 18/02/2025 11:43:29 AM (Australia/Brisbane)
The now Group 3 event held towards the end of October or early November on the Wednesday before the Victoria Derby Day meeting at Flemington on the first Saturday in November kicks off the Melbourne Cup Carnival action, the Bendigo Cup is held under handicap conditions and is open to horses aged three years and older.
The Bendigo Cup is one of the richest country cups in Australia, with an impressive total of $500,000 prize money. It is also one of the most renowned country cups in Australia, drawing significant crowds and some top-quality horses, particularly in recent years.
The Bendigo Cup can act as an effective lead up race to the Melbourne Cup. Horses generally target the Bendigo Cup following good runs in other events such as the listed Cranbourne Cup or even non-black type events at nearby tracks, including major Melbourne racecourses.
Quite often, horses that get a good run in the Bendigo Cup will go on to other country cups at a similar grade, such as the Ballarat Cup. In recent times, as top-quality horses have contested this event more often, races like the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on Emirates Stakes Day become a nice next-up option. Francis Of Assisi (2016) was the last horse to win the Bendigo Cup – Queen Elizabeth Stakes double.
In more recent years the Bendigo Cup has started to attract and be dominated by international visitors in much the same way as the other spring cup features.
The 2021 Bendigo Cup form was franked with the runner-up Smokin’ Romans returning the following spring to win the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) and the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) before starting the short-priced favourite in the 2022 Caulfield Cup.
The Bendigo Cup 2021 winner Wentwood meanwhile went on to run third in both the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) and Group 2 Sandown Classic (2400m) during the spring.
Winning mare High Emocean franked the Bendigo Cup 2022 form going on to run third to her stablemate Gold Trip in that year’s Melbourne Cup results.
The 2023 Bendigo Cup winner Interpretation ran a next-up sixth in that year’s Melbourne Cup beaten five lengths by the winner Without A Fight.
The Bendigo Cup 2024 ran Wednesday October 30, 2024 as a potential lead-up into the Melbourne Cup field and was won in emphatic fashion by the Harry Eustace-trained UK stayer Sea King ($5.50).
2024 Bendigo Cup | |
---|---|
Date: | Wednesday October 30, 2024 |
Track: | Bendigo Racecourse |
Distance: | 2400m |
Race Type: | 3YO&UP Handicap |
Status: | Group 3 |
Prize Money: | $500,000 |
2024 Bendigo Cup Finishing Order
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9 | SEA KING (GB) | Harry Eustace | Declan Bates | 3 | 54.5kg | $5.50 | |||
2 | 2 | BERKELEY SQUARE | Dan O’Sullivan | Ms Jaylah Kennedy (a) | 3.75L | 8 | 58.5kg | $6 | ||
3 | 12 | STAR VEGA (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Billy Egan | 3.95L | 12 | 54kg | $11 | ||
4 | 4 | HERMAN HESSE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Ben Melham | 4.7L | 13 | 57.5kg | $16 | ||
5 | 5 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | Robbie Dolan | 5.16L | 1 | 57kg | $26 | ||
6 | 14 | I’M A DIRTY RASCAL (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Beau Mertens | 5.66L | 6 | 54kg | $31 | ||
7 | 10 | IMMEDIACY (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Luke Currie | 5.81L | 7 | 54kg | $14 | ||
8 | 1 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Craig Williams | 6.16L | 11 | 59kg | $9.50 | ||
9 | 3 | LE DON DE VIE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 6.91L | 15 | 58.5kg | $21 | ||
10 | 13 | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson | Ethan Brown | 7.41L | 2 | 54kg | $4.40F | ||
11 | 11 | SUNSETS | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Michael Dee | 7.47L | 9 | 54kg | $21 | ||
12 | 15 | STAUNCH | Matt Laurie | Teo Nugent | 8.97L | 4 | 54kg | $61 | ||
13 | 7 | HORRIFYING (NZ) | Lindsey Smith | Blake Shinn | 9.72L | 10 | 56.5kg | $18 | ||
14 | 6 | FIRST LIGHT (GB) | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | 10.72L | 5 | 56.5kg | $13 | ||
15 | 8 | AURORA’S SYMPHONY | Symon Wilde | Blaike McDougall | 40.72L | 14 | 56kg | $101 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2024 Bendigo Cup Betting Odds
The latest Bendigo Cup 2024 betting markets and fixed win pricing will be available at Ladbrokes.com.au and provided here at Races.com.au for you to back your Bendigo Cup tips at the best prices.
High Emocean ($2.30 in 2022) followed by the fellow Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Interpretation ($2.70 in 2023) are the latest favourites in Bendigo Cup betting to salute for the punters.
2024 Bendigo Cup Form Guide
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2024 BENDIGO CUP FORM GUIDE
2024 Bendigo Cup Tips
Stay tuned for our insider Bendigo Cup 2024 Tips on the popular mid-week spring showdown this season.
- To Win: #13 Whisky On The Hill ($7 at time of publish) – BET NOWÂ
Open edition of the Bendigo Cup with lots of form lines, including those overseas, to consider but going for the in-form runner with Whisky On The Hill up in grade chasing a hat-trick. Ethan Brown has the ride from a favourable gate two draw on the Ribchester gelding who has had 14 starts for five wins. He comes off back-to-back 2400m wins at Caulfield carrying 55.5kg and 56.5kg respectively, so, while this is a tougher race he will appreciate the drop back to 54kg. Is he good enough against these? Gets the chance to find out.
2024 Bendigo Cup Field
The Bendigo Cup field has a capacity of 16 stayers, but rarely runs with this many starters. Spring gallopers may come into the Bendigo Cup field via a number of different lead-up races including the Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day or the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) a week earlier.
The 2024 Bendigo Cup field is released on the Monday of race week and will be published in full below.
The Bendigo Cup 2024 final field features a quality line-up of stayers including 2019 Melbourne Cup champion Vow And Declare, Herbert Power winner Herman Hesse, and the Harry Eustace-trained UK raider Sea King looking to move up the Melbourne Cup order of entry.
No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 24041×5778 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Craig Williams | 11 | 59kg | 103 | ||
2 | 62512×8112 | BERKELEY SQUARE | Dan O’Sullivan | Ms Jaylah Kennedy (a) | 8 | 58.5kg | 102 | ||
3 | 0172x00x89 | LE DON DE VIE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 15 | 58.5kg | 102 | ||
4 | 2170×07117 | HERMAN HESSE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Ben Melham | 13 | 57.5kg | 100 | ||
5 | x24234x900 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | Robbie Dolan | 1 | 57kg | 99 | ||
6 | 5117×04417 | FIRST LIGHT (GB) | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | 5 | 56.5kg | 98 | ||
7 | 988x0x1158 | HORRIFYING (NZ) | Lindsey Smith | Blake Shinn | 10 | 56.5kg | 98 | ||
8 | x70116x000 | AURORA’S SYMPHONY | Symon Wilde | Blaike McDougall | 14 | 56kg | 97 | ||
9 | 104x10136x | SEA KING (GB) | Harry Eustace | Declan Bates | 3 | 54.5kg | 94 | ||
10 | 11155×670 | IMMEDIACY (NZ) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Luke Currie | 7 | 54kg | 90 | ||
11 | x05580x432 | SUNSETS | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Michael Dee | 9 | 54kg | 85 | ||
12 | 3×87621423 | STAR VEGA (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Billy Egan | 12 | 54kg | 84 | ||
13 | 1x068x6311 | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson | Ethan Brown | 2 | 54kg | 81 | ||
14 | 9x5427x449 | I’M A DIRTY RASCAL (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Beau Mertens | 6 | 54kg | 80 | ||
15 | 8338×13134 | STAUNCH | Matt Laurie | Teo Nugent | 4 | 54kg | 71 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2024 Bendigo Cup Nominations
Early nominations for the Bendigo Cup in 2024Â close the Thursday prior to the race and will be listed below.
The 2024 Bendigo Cup nominations attracted 30 spring stayers including Coongy Cup runner-up Berkeley Square, last year’s second placegetter Brayden Star, Lexus Archer Stakes winner Point King, and Naturalism Stakes winning mare Positivity.
Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | x70116x000 | AURORA’S SYMPHONY | G | 8 | Symon Wilde | 97 |
2 | 62512×8112 | BERKELEY SQUARE | G | 5 | Dan O’Sullivan | 102 |
3 | 8x766x0734 | BRAYDEN STAR (GB) | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 94 |
4 | 5058×00185 | CONVENER (FR) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 79 |
5 | x6356x0544 | DILLIAN (IRE) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 70 |
6 | x58610x536 | FANCY MAN (IRE) | G | 7 | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | 99 |
7 | 5117×04417 | FIRST LIGHT (GB) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 98 |
8 | 1342717×05 | GOLD WOLF (NZ) | G | 4 | David & Coral Feek | 81 |
9 | 3x44111x18 | HAARACAINE (IRE) | H | 5 | Nick Ryan | 76 |
10 | 2170×07117 | HERMAN HESSE (GB) | G | 8 | Ciaron Maher | |
11 | 988x0x1158 | HORRIFYING (NZ) | G | 7 | Lindsey Smith | 98 |
12 | 9x5427x449 | I’M A DIRTY RASCAL (IRE) | G | 7 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 80 |
13 | 11155×670 | IMMEDIACY (NZ) | G | 4 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 90 |
14 | x24234x900 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | G | 5 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | 99 |
15 | 0172x00x89 | LE DON DE VIE (GB) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | 102 |
16 | 92441×3450 | MISSION OF LOVE | M | 5 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | 94 |
17 | x23622x440 | MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 98 |
18 | 513x00x802 | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | H | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 99 |
19 | x5966x0948 | PESTO (GB) | G | 9 | Gavin Bedggood | 74 |
20 | 28x4x8x112 | POINT KING (IRE) | G | 6 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 102 |
21 | 781291×217 | POSITIVITY (NZ) | M | 4 | Andrew Forsman | 102 |
22 | 104x10136x | SEA KING (GB) | G | 6 | Harry Eustace | 94 |
23 | 3×87621423 | STAR VEGA (IRE) | G | 5 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
24 | 46×4708212 | STATION ONE | G | 6 | Liam Howley | 80 |
25 | 8338×13134 | STAUNCH | G | 6 | Matt Laurie | 71 |
26 | x05580x432 | SUNSETS | G | 4 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 85 |
27 | 24041×5778 | VOW AND DECLARE | G | 9 | Danny O’Brien | 103 |
28 | 115x8x943 | WALTHAM (GB) | G | 5 | Matthew Smith | |
29 | 1415×70656 | WERTHEIMER (NZ) | G | 7 | Matthew Enright | 78 |
30 | 1x068x6311 | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | G | 5 | Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson | 81 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Bendigo Cup History
The Bendigo Cup was inaugurated in 1868 and was then known as the Sandhurst Cup. Old England was the first winner.
The new Bendigo track was established relatively recently in 1998. The grandstand was built in 1902, making it one of the oldest in the region.
The Bendigo Cup was previously held in November. In 2009 the race date was shifted to October to encourage classier horses to contest it on the way to bigger events. Following the 2010 edition the decision was made to increase the race distance again to 2400m (as it was in 2008 and prior) to further improve the race’s suitability as a lead up event.
Notable recent Bendigo Cup winners include Gallic (2004, 06), Puissance De Lune (2012), Sertorius (2013), The Offer (2015) and Francis Of Assisi (2016) who went on to win the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival next start after being balloted out of the Melbourne Cup field. The 2017 Bendigo Cup winner Qewy handed English trainer Charlie Appleby back-to-back wins in the race setting a new race record with his 2:27.50 second victory.
Trainers Ciaron Maher & David Eustace prepared back-to-back Bendigo Cup winners with High Emocean (2022) and Interpretation (2023).
David Eustace’s brother, the UK-based Harry Eustace, won the 2024 Bendigo Cup with his international raider Sea King saluting by 3.75 lengths.
Bendigo Cup Results
Year | Place | Horse | Time |
---|---|---|---|
2024 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Sea King | 2 minutes 27.82 seconds |
2nd | Berkeley Square | ||
3rd | Star Vega | ||
2023 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Interpretation | 2 minutes 28.52 seconds |
2nd | Brayden Star | ||
3rd | Taramansour | ||
2022 Bendigo Cup |
1st | High Emocean | 2 minutes 34.43 seconds |
2nd | Port Philip | ||
3rd | Verimli | ||
2021 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Wentwood | 2 minutes 27.90 seconds |
2nd | Smokin’ Romans | ||
3rd | Taramansour | ||
2020 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Princess Jenni | 2 minutes 29.32 seconds |
2nd | Pondus | ||
3rd | Haky | ||
2019 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Top Of The Range | 2 minutes 27.41 seconds |
2nd | Brimham Rocks | ||
3rd | Hang Man | ||
2018 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Red Alto | 2 minutes 28.51 seconds |
2nd | Dal Harraild | ||
3rd | Sir Charles Road | ||
2017 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Qewy | 2 minutes 27.5 seconds (track record) |
2nd | Kiwia | ||
3rd | Foundry | ||
2016 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Francis of Assisi | 2 minute 28.3 seconds |
2nd | Second Bullet | ||
3rd | Our Century | ||
2015 Bendigo Cup |
1st | The Offer | 2 minutes 28.5 seconds |
2nd | Divan | ||
3rd | Kirramosa | ||
2014 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Bring Something | 2 minutes 29.4 seconds |
2nd | Massiyn | ||
3rd | Order Of The Sun | ||
2013 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Sertorius | 2 minutes 30.8 seconds |
2nd | Massiyn | ||
3rd | Kesampour | ||
2012 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Puissance De Lune | 2 minutes 27.9 seconds |
2nd | Practiced | ||
3rd | Fiumicino | ||
2011 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Tanby | 2 minutes 28.7 seconds |
2nd | At First Sight | ||
3rd | Western Symbol | ||
2010 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Dream Pedlar | 2 minutes 18.2 seconds |
2nd | My Bentley | ||
3rd | Zauberin | ||
2009 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Zupacool | 2 minutes 15.0 seconds |
2nd | Crossthestart | ||
3rd | Daka’s Gem | ||
2008 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Banana Man | 2 minutes 28.8 seconds |
2nd | Imvula | ||
3rd | Butwaittheresmore | ||
2007 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Captious | 2 minutes 31.9 seconds |
2nd | Hoodlum | ||
3rd | On A Jeune | ||
2006 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Gallic | 2 minutes 31.9 seconds |
2nd | Brindabella | ||
3rd | Home Sweet | ||
2005 Bendigo Cup |
1st | True Courser | 2 minutes 30.3 seconds |
2nd | Belzain | ||
3rd | Garidar | ||
2004 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Gallic | 2 minutes 32.5 seconds |
2nd | Jakodae | ||
3rd | Diamond Jake | ||
2003 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Western Waters | 2 minutes 28.3 seconds |
2nd | Chairmans Choice | ||
3rd | Mr Prudent | ||
2002 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Forlorna | 2 minutes 31.3 seconds |
2nd | Fearless Sophie | ||
3rd | Time Off | ||
2001 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Saboteur | 2 minutes 28.3 seconds |
2nd | Betta Watch It | ||
3rd | Never Dull | ||
2000 Bendigo Cup |
1st | Yammer | 2 minutes 34.4 seconds |
2nd | Western Outlaw | ||
3rd | Jamestown |