Launceston Cup

The Ladbrokes Launceston Cup is one of the only a handful of Group races that held in Tasmania each year. The Group 3 event takes place in February over the Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival.

2023 Launceston Cup Results

  • 1st: #3 Aurora's Symphony
  • 2nd: Rising Light
  • 3rd: Spirit Ridge



The Ladbrokes Launceston Cup is one of the few Group status races held in Tasmania each year.

The Group 3 staying showdown takes place in February over the Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival and offers $300,000 in prize money as of 2023.

Launceston Cup Day also features the weight-for-age Listed Mowbray Stakes (1600m) and Group 3 Vamos Stakes (1400m) for the fillies and mares that offer plenty of top summer betting opportunities for punters at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Run under handicap conditions over a mile and a half (2400m), the Launceston Cup field traditionally attracts mainly local stayers coming off a run in the Group 3 Hobart Cup (2400m) a fortnight earlier.

The Hobart Cup – Launceston Cup betting double is popular each summer and was last achieved by Eastender (2019) and Up Cups (2016).

The 2022 Launceston Cup form was franked with the runner-up Ho Ho Khan heading to Melbourne for a brave next-up fourth in Flemington’s Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) that autumn at 60/1.

The Ladbrokes Launceston Cup 2023 ran on Wednesday February 22, 2023 and was won by Symon Wilde’s six-year-old from Warrnambool Aurora’s Symphony ($6) who successfully defended his title in Tassie. 

2023 Launceston Cup
Date: Wednesday February 22, 2023
Track: Launceston Racecourse
Distance: 2400m
Race Type: Open Handicap
Status: Group 3
Prize Money: $300,000

2023 Launceston Cup Results

  • 1st: #3 Aurora’s Symphony ($6)
  • 2nd: #8 Rising Light
  • 3rd: #1 Spirit Ridge

The Symon Wilde-trained defending champion Aurora’s Symphony ($6) enjoyed a half-length win in the 2023 Launceston Cup results on Wednesday for back-to-back victories having also saluted in the event last season. 

  Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
  1 3 AURORA’S SYMPHONY Symon Wilde Blaike McDougall   1 55.5kg   $6
  2 8 RISING LIGHT Gaetan Delon Ms Carleen Hefel (a) 0.5L 11 54kg   $31
  3 1 SPIRIT RIDGE (GB) Annabel Neasham Blake Shinn 0.6L 12 59kg   $3.60
  4 7 WHITE HAWK Angela Brakey Mehmet Ulucinar 2.85L 6 54kg   $101
  5 11 MISS CHARLIE BROWN Adam Trinder Troy Baker 4.1L 7 54kg   $91
  6 10 ASSARANCA Barry Campbell Anthony Darmanin 4.3L 2 54kg   $41
  7 15 BREW HORSE Stephen Shaw Bulent Muhcu 4.4L 9 54kg   $31
  8 5 GLASS WARRIOR John Blacker Ms Chelsea Baker (a) 4.6L 4 54kg   $41
  9 2 MILITARY MISSION (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Ms Winona Costin 5.35L 3 56.5kg   $2.50F
  10 4 DARK DREAM Ben & JD Hayes Craig Newitt 5.45L 14 55kg   $13
  11 6 TRAVELLING GIGOLO Scott Brunton David Pires 7.45L 8 54kg   $10
  12 12 PERUN (NZ) Alana Fulton Ms Alana Kelly 10.2L 5 54kg   $101
  13 9 SUPER SWOOP John Blacker Ms Sigrid Carr 12.45L 15 54kg   $41
  14 14 SKYWAY STAR Scott Brunton Ms Georgie Catania 14.7L 13 54kg   $101
  15 13 CREATIVE HERO Julie Richards Liam Riordan 21.2L 10 54kg   $101

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Launceston Cup Betting Odds

The latest Ladbrokes Launceston Cup 2023 odds and betting market links will be released below as soon as available.

The last Launceston Cup favourite to salute for the punters was Big Duke ($2.10 in 2017).

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 LAUNCESTON CUP ODDS (Final Field)

2023 Launceston Cup Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 LAUNCESTON CUP FORM GUIDE

2023 Launceston Cup Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Ladbrokes Launceston Cup 2023 Tips on the popular Tassie staying showdown this summer.

  • To Win: #2 Military Mission ($2.80 at time of publish) 

Top three hard to split in this year’s Launceston Cup but tough to go past the favourite Military Mission from the Waterhouse/Bott operation. The five-year-old grey was very good in the Group 3 Hobart Cup winning over the 2400m distance by more than two lengths. He did only carry 54kg and will need to be improving going up to 56.5kg as he chases the Tassie Cups double. Did enough to suggest he can do just that with Winona Costin retaining the ride. Back don’t sack.

2023 Launceston Cup Field

The Launceston Cup 2023 field and barriers are released the Friday before the event featuring a similar line-up to that of the Hobart Cup and will be published in full below as soon as announced by Tas Racing.

The 2023 Launceston Cup final field features a quality line-up of autumn-bound stayers including last start Hobart Cup champ by over two lengths Military Mission from the Waterhouse / Bott stable.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 4408×04123 SPIRIT RIDGE (GB) Annabel Neasham Blake Shinn 12 59kg   103
2 24×9179531 MILITARY MISSION (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Ms Winona Costin 3 56.5kg   98
3 7x783807x1 AURORA’S SYMPHONY Symon Wilde Blaike McDougall 1 55.5kg   96
4 4×75264644 DARK DREAM Ben & JD Hayes Craig Newitt 14 55kg   95
5 4549×06167 GLASS WARRIOR John Blacker Ms Chelsea Baker (a) 4 54kg   91
6 11311×9252 TRAVELLING GIGOLO Scott Brunton David Pires 8 54kg   84
7 x083640868 WHITE HAWK Angela Brakey Mehmet Ulucinar 6 54kg   83
8 1151313425 RISING LIGHT Gaetan Delon Ms Carleen Hefel (a) 11 54kg   82
9 98×8673411 SUPER SWOOP John Blacker Ms Sigrid Carr 15 54kg   78
10 8x45x44312 ASSARANCA Barry Campbell Anthony Darmanin 2 54kg   77
11 12x028x445 MISS CHARLIE BROWN Adam Trinder Troy Baker 7 54kg   75
12 3106331227 PERUN (NZ) Alana Fulton Ms Alana Kelly 5 54kg   72
13 8×65624988 CREATIVE HERO Julie Richards Liam Riordan 10 54kg   71
14 15435×6650 SKYWAY STAR Scott Brunton Ms Georgie Catania 13 54kg   70
15 7211×76323 BREW HORSE Stephen Shaw Bulent Muhcu 9 54kg   66

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Launceston Cup Nominations

Early nominations for the Launceston Cup in 2023 are out the Wednesday before race day and will be updated below once confirmed.

  Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 8x45x44312 ASSARANCA M 5 Barry Campbell 77
2 7x783807x1 AURORA’S SYMPHONY G 6 Symon Wilde 96
3 7211×76323 BREW HORSE G 5 Stephen Shaw 66
4 8×65624988 CREATIVE HERO G 7 Julie Richards 71
5 4×75264644 DARK DREAM G 8 Ben & JD Hayes 95
6 8000×87661 FIRST IN LINE (GB) G 7 Matthew Smith 89
7 4549×06167 GLASS WARRIOR M 7 John Blacker 91
8 6x7x5940x4 GRAND PROMENADE (GB) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 105
9 24×9179531 MILITARY MISSION (IRE) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 98
10 12x028x445 MISS CHARLIE BROWN M 4 Adam Trinder 75
11 3106331227 PERUN (NZ) G 8 Alana Fulton 72
12 28×5414128 PRINCETON AWARD G 4 Symon Wilde 72
13 1151313425 RISING LIGHT G 5 Gaetan Delon 82
14 15435×6650 SKYWAY STAR M 7 Scott Brunton 70
15 4408×04123 SPIRIT RIDGE (GB) G 8 Annabel Neasham 103
16 98×8673411 SUPER SWOOP G 8 John Blacker 78
17 11311×9252 TRAVELLING GIGOLO G 5 Scott Brunton 84
18 x083640868 WHITE HAWK G 9 Angela Brakey 83

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Launceston Cup History

The Launceston Cup has been run and won since way back in 1865 when Panic won the inaugural edition of this time-honoured Tasmanian race.

It ran as a Principal race until gaining its current Group 3 status in 1980 when Summer took out the event. It was originally a three mile contest run over a gruelling 4800m.

It ran over two miles (3200m) – the same distance as the iconic Melbourne Cup – from 1847 – 1879 before decreasing. It has run over 2400m since 2002.

Notable Launceston Cup winners in recent years including St. Andrews (2000, 2002 & 2003), Geegees Blackflash (2013) and Up Cups (2016).

The 2018 Launceston Cup winner Bondeiger set a new record winning the mile and a half feature in 2 minutes 29.56 seconds.

In 2023 Aurora’s Symphony successfully defended his title to become the latest back-to-back Launceston Cup winner. 

Recent Launceston Cup Winners

See below for the full Launceston Cup results and winners going back to 2000.

Year Place Horse Time
 
2023 Launceston Cup 1st Aurora’s Symphony 2 minutes 31.35 seconds
2nd Rising Light
3rd Spirit Ridge
 
2022 Launceston Cup 1st Aurora’s Symphony 2 minutes 30.55 seconds
2nd Ho Ho Khan
3rd The Risk Factor
 
2021 Launceston Cup 1st Glass Warrior 2 minutes 31.70 seconds
2nd Sh’Bourne Renegade
3rd White Hawk
 
2020 Launceston Cup 1st Home By Midnight  2 minutes 33.13 seconds
2nd Taikomochi
3rd Dogmatic
 
2019 Launceston Cup 1st Eastender 2 minutes 31:54 seconds
2nd Fabrizio
3rd Lamborghini
 
2018 Launceston Cup 1st Bondeiger 2 minutes 29.56 seconds (Record)
2nd Fastnet Dragon
3rd Pretty Punk
 
2017 Launceston Cup 1st Big Duke 2 minutes 31.30 seconds
2nd Count Da Vinci
3rd Tuff Bickie
 
2016 Launceston Cup 1st Up Cups 2 minutes 34.9 seconds
2nd Arianne
3rd Schockemohle
 
2015 Launceston Cup 1st Genuine Lad 2 minutes 29.6 seconds
2nd Banca Mo
3rd Geegees Blackflash
 
2014 Launceston Cup 1st Epingle 2 minutes 31.3 seconds
2nd Gold To Go
3rd Geegees Blackflash
 
2013 Launceston Cup 1st Geegees Blackflash 2 minutes 34.1 seconds
2nd Lucky Angel
3rd Dream Pedlar
 
2012 Launceston Cup 1st Prevailing 2 minutes 34.0 seconds
2nd Geegees Blackflash
3rd Fieldmaster
 
2011 Launceston Cup 1st Fast Future 2 minutes 30.3 seconds
2nd White Yard
3rd Geegees Blackflash
 
2010 Launceston Cup 1st Larry’s Never Late 2 minutes 24.3 seconds
2nd Dream Pedlar
3rd Growl
 
2009 Launceston Cup 1st Zavite 2 minutes 31.2 seconds
2nd Centurytwentyone
3rd Ista Kareem
 
2008 Launceston Cup 1st Ista Kareem 2 minutes 31.2 seconds
2nd Lady Atire
3rd Our Dashing Dane
 
2007 Launceston Cup 1st Hofmeister 2 minutes 28.8 seconds
2nd Field Hunter
3rd Emerald Jack
 
2006 Launceston Cup 1st Precise Timing 2 minutes 30.0 seconds
2nd Aquiline
3rd Mr Buttkicka
 
2005 Launceston Cup 1st Dakasha 2 minutes 32.2 seconds
2nd Bondy
3rd Under The Bridge
 
2004 Launceston Cup 1st Zacielo 2 minutes 32.7 seconds
2nd Saturday Fever
3rd Dream Quest
 
2003 Launceston Cup 1st St Andrews 2 minutes 29.2 seconds
2nd Arena Valadora
3rd Saturday Fever
 
2002 Launceston Cup 1st St Andrews 2 minutes 31.0 seconds
2nd Bondi Iceberg
3rd Imax
 
2001 Launceston Cup 1st Full Of Rhythm 2 minutes 45.5 seconds
2nd St Andrews
3rd Naucho
 
2000 Launceston Cup 1st St Andrews 2 minutes 48.5 seconds
2nd Mt Arthur
3rd Naucho

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