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The 2021 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes – formerly the Queen’s Cup – is a 2600m quality handicap held at Flemington Racecourse on the first Saturday of November as part of Mackinnon Stakes Day.

A Group 3 event, the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes – not to be confused with the Group 1 ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes held at Randwick in the autumn – pays $300,000 total prize money. It is one of the more lucrative Group 3 events held during the Melbourne Cup Carnival and also offers an additional bonus to any horse that was paid up for at final acceptances stage but was ballot out of the Melbourne Cup field. Irish-trained mare True Self (2019) was the last Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner to collect on the bonus. True Self returned in 2020 and successfully defended her VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes title.

The Queen Elizabeth Stakes is held on the fourth and final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, and runs alongside a host of other black-type events. These include the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m), the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m), the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) and Group 3 Chatham Stakes (1400m).

Heading into the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, horses might contest a variety of different races including the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m), both popular lead up races. Some horses also back up from the Melbourne Cup to contest this event looking for a consolation prize just four days after the ‘Race That Stops A Nation’ is run and won.

Following the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) is a fairly common target. Some horses choose to rest prior to the Summer Racing Carnival or even until the autumn.

The 2021 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes ran on Saturday November 6, 2021 and was won by the $3.40 favourite Warning. 

VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2021
Date:	Saturday November 6, 2021
Track:	Flemington Racecourse
Distance:	2600m
Race Type:	Open Quality Handicap
Status:	Group 3
Prize money:	$300,000

2021 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Results

• 1st: #1 Warning ($3.40F)
• 2nd: #2 Sound
• 3rd: #5 Wentwood

The Freedman’s 2019 VRC Derby winner Warning ($3.40F) continued his nice return to form with a brilliant all-the-way win in the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2021 results on Mackinnon Stakes Day.

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	1	WARNING	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Nash Rawiller		3	59kg		$3.40F
	2	2	SOUND (GER)	Michael Moroney	Jamie Mott	1.25L	1	58.5kg		$8.50
	3	5	WENTWOOD (GB)	Maddie Raymond	Damian Lane	1.55L	5	56kg		$5.50
	4	3	DR DRILL (GB)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Brett Prebble	3.3L	4	56kg		$3.80
	5	4	LUNAR FLARE	Grahame Begg	Michael Dee	10.3L	6	56kg		$4.20
	6	6	HEZASHOCKA (NZ)	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Luke Currie	12.8L	2	54kg		$26

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2021 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Betting Odds

See below for the latest VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2021 odds, betting provided by Ladbrokes.com.au with links to the market to back your VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes tips in at the right price.

Warning ($3.40 in 2021) was the last Queen Elizabeth Stakes favourite in Melbourne to salute for the punters.

2021 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Field

The VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes field attracts a fairly handy selection of horses. As it is raced over a relatively lengthy staying distance of 2600m, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes field tends to fill out with experienced staying types who can handle the longer distances and have a few Group wins under their belt.

Good lead-up races into the Queen Elizabeth Stakes field include the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m), the Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) and even the Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m) a week before at the track on Derby Day. In 2017 the Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Vengeur Masque previous won the Geelong Cup and came off a second in the Lexus Stakes. True Self (2019) meanwhile improved on a first-up Geelong Cup second before her VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes win.

The 2021 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes field and barriers are released by Racing Victoria on the Wednesday before Mackinnon Stakes Day and will be published in full below once announced.

Without the international contingent, the 2021 Queen Elizabeth Stakes field at Flemington features just six runners including Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Lunar Flare who defeated subsequent Melbourne Cup fourth placed Floating Artist last time out and the 2019 VRC Derby winner Warning.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	0x0516x001	WARNING	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Nash Rawiller	3	59kg		105
2	x62309x973	SOUND (GER)	Michael Moroney	Jamie Mott	1	58.5kg		104
3	5×52825362	DR DRILL (GB)	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Brett Prebble	4	56kg		99
4	x331492211	LUNAR FLARE	Grahame Begg	Michael Dee	6	56kg		103
5	16x510x421	WENTWOOD (GB)	Maddie Raymond	Damian Lane	5	56kg		99
6	2510×79	HEZASHOCKA (NZ)	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Luke Currie	2	54kg		79

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes History

The VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a very old race. Inaugurated in 1854, it is seven years older than the Melbourne Cup and almost as prestigious. Originally known as the Queen’s Plate and until recently the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, it was first run over 24 furlongs, which is the equivalent of around 4800m.

In its long history, there have been only two dead heats. The first was in 1895, between Wallace and Auraria. The second was more recently in 1997, between Vita Man and Bright Spot.

Throughout its history, the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes has not been held on a total of eight years.

The 2019 and 2020 editions saw Irish-trained mare True Self post back-to-back wins.

The VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes has been through many name changes since its inception, which are documented below.

Period	Name
2016 – present	VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes
2015	Queen’s Cup
2011-2014	Queen Elizabeth Stakes
2010	Queen’s Cup
1986-2009	Queen Elizabeth Stakes
1985	Queen’s Cup
1979-1984	Queen Elizabeth Stakes
1975-1978	C.B. Fisher Plate
1974	Queen’s Cup
1970-1973	C.B. Fisher Plate
1969	Queen’s Cup
1895-1968	C.B. Fisher Plate
1875-1894	Canterbury Plate
1873-1874	Flemington Plate
1854-1872	Queen’s Plate

Along with multiple name changes, the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes has also changed distance multiple times. The various distances of the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes / Queen’s Cup are documented below.

Period	Distance
2010-now	2600m
1973-2009	2500m
1972	2400m
1895-1971	12 furlongs
1890-1894	16 furlongs
1889	18 furlongs
1888	24 furlongs
1886-1887	16 furlongs
1885	20 furlongs
1881-1884	16 furlongs
1880	18 furlongs
1879	16 furlongs
1877-1878	18 furlongs
1875-1876	16 furlongs
1854-1874	24 furlongs

*A furlong is approximately 200 metres.

A number of very impressive horses have taken out the honours in the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes / Queen’s Cup. Winners include Tim Whiffler (1867), Wakeful (1902), Alawa (1908, 09, 10), Eurythmic (1920), Phar Lap (1930), Ajax (1938), High Caste (1939, 40, 41), Rising Fast (1954, 55), Even Stevens (1962), Hyperno (1979) and Makybe Diva (2002) amongst many others. Queen’s Cup / VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes results, winners and winning times since 2000 are provided below.

VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes Results

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2021 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Warning	2 minutes 44. 69 seconds
	2nd	Sound
	3rd	Wentwood
2020 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	True Self	2 minutes 44.99 seconds
	2nd	Pondus
	3rd	Chapada
2019 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	True Self	2 minutes 45.42 seconds
	2nd	Carif
	3rd	Maurus
2018 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Jaameh	2 minutes 45.09 seconds
	2nd	Sully
	3rd	Libran
2017 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Vengeur Masque	2 minutes 42.9 seconds
	2nd	Grey Lion
	3rd	Wheal Leisure
2016 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Francis Of Assisi	2 minutes 41.1 seconds
	2nd	Vengeur Masque
	3rd	Tom Melbourne
2015 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Dandino	2 minutes 46.93 seconds
	2nd	Secret Number
	3rd	Don Doremo
2014 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Le Roi	2 minutes 43.1 seconds
	2nd	Prince Of Penzance
	3rd	Big Memory
2013 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Precedence	2 minutes 46.4 seconds
	2nd	Sertorius
	3rd	Let’s Make Adeal
2012 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Puissance De Lune	2 minutes 44.2 seconds
	2nd	Ironstein
	3rd	Tanby
2011 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Ironstein	2 minutes 44.8 seconds
	2nd	Shootoff
	3rd	Paddy O’Reilly
2010 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Moudre	2 minutes 45.2 seconds
	2nd	Capecover
	3rd	Persian Star
2009 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Sterling Prince	2 minutes 34.5 seconds
	2nd	Crossthestart
	3rd	Naval Escort
2008 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Capecover	2 minutes 38.8 seconds
	2nd	Light Vision
	3rd	Baughurst
2007 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Zavite	2 minutes 38.5 seconds
	2nd	Cefalu
	3rd	Completion
2006 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Gallant Guru	2 minutes 40.6 seconds
	2nd	Magic Instinct
	3rd	Fooram
2005 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Our Smoking Joe	2 minutes 33.8 seconds
	2nd	Coalesce
	3rd	Grey Song
2004 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Fantastic Love	2 minutes 44.8 seconds
	2nd	Manawa King
	3rd	Da Capo
2003 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Zazzman	2 minutes 37.5 seconds
	2nd	Lord Erin
	3rd	Delvecchio
2002 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Makybe Diva	2 minutes 35.7 seconds
	2nd	Spirit Of Westbury
	3rd	Time Off
2001 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Hatha Anna	2 minutes 40.9 seconds
	2nd	Ascana
	3rd	Tiger’s Eye
2000 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1st	Savrocca	2 minutes 37.8 seconds
	2nd	Ultra Smug
	3rd	Mayshiel