2020 Darwin Cup Results: Ihtsahymn Goes Back-to-Back
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The VRC Queen's Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 3 staying event held at Flemington Racecourse on Mackinnon Stakes Day.
The 2020 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 $200,000 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 inlcuding 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 a week later. Some horses choose to rest prior to the Summer Racing Carnival or even until the autumn.
The 2020 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes ran on Saturday November 7, 2020 and saw the Irish-trained mare True Self go back-to-back in the event.
VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2020 | |
---|---|
Date: | Saturday November 7, 2020 |
Track: | Flemington Racecourse |
Distance: | 2600m |
Race Type: | Open Quality Handicap |
Status: | Group 3 |
Prize money: | $200,000 |
It was an upset in the 2020 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes results with Willie Mullins’ Irish-trained mare True Self ($14) returning to successfully defend her title with a victory over fellow raider, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Pondus ($1.95) who ran second as the beaten odds-on favourite.
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 6 | TRUE SELF (IRE) | Willie Mullins | Hugh Bowman | 2 | 57.5kg | $14 | |||
2 | 2 | PONDUS (GB) | Joseph O’Brien | Damien Oliver | 1L | 8 | 58.5kg | $1.95F | ||
3 | 4 | CHAPADA | Michael Moroney | Daniel Stackhouse | 2L | 4 | 58kg | $16 | ||
4 | 8 | CREEDENCE | Matt Cumani | Michael Poy (a) | 3.5L | 3 | 56kg | $31 | ||
5 | 1 | LE DON DE VIE (GB) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Ben Melham | 4.75L | 10 | 59kg | $5 | ||
6 | 11 | SCARLET DREAM | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Luke Currie | 4.85L | 1 | 55kg | $26 | ||
7 | 3 | SHARED AMBITION (IRE) | Chris Waller | Craig Williams | 4.95L | 9 | 58.5kg | $8.50 | ||
8 | 12 | LUNAR FLARE | Grahame Begg | Jordan Childs | 5.7L | 5 | 55kg | $91 | ||
9 | 5 | HAKY (IRE) | Archie Alexander | Jamie Kah | 6.45L | 6 | 57.5kg | $18 | ||
10 | 9 | GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) | Archie Alexander | John Allen | 6.75L | 7 | 56kg | $18 | ||
10 | ATTORNEY (FR) | Matthew Smith | Jye McNeil | 0 | ||||||
7 | FUTURE SCORE (IRE) | Matt Cumani | Craig Williams | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
See below for the latest VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2020 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.
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 2020 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.
Twelve stayers make-up the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2020 final field with the Geelong Cup runner-up and top-weight Le Don De Vie drawn the outside alley taking on the Irish raider Pondus who comes off a Bendigo Cup second.
No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | x410x44312 | LE DON DE VIE (GB) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Ben Melham | 12 | 59kg | 104 | |
2 | 239x2140x2 | PONDUS (GB) | Joseph O’Brien | Damien Oliver | 9 | 58.5kg | 103 | |
3 | 3103×09252 | SHARED AMBITION (IRE) | Chris Waller | (late alt) | 10 | 58.5kg | 103 | |
4 | 953125×219 | CHAPADA | Michael Moroney | Daniel Stackhouse | 4 | 58kg | 102 | |
5 | 6x051x9003 | HAKY (IRE) | Archie Alexander | Jamie Kah | 7 | 57.5kg | 101 | |
6 | 217x6x4600 | TRUE SELF (IRE) | Willie Mullins | Hugh Bowman | 2 | 57.5kg | 105 | |
7 | 1x1253x613 | FUTURE SCORE (IRE) | Matt Cumani | Craig Williams | 6 | 56.5kg | 99 | |
8 | 18×0161166 | CREEDENCE | Matt Cumani | Michael Poy (a) | 3 | 56kg | 98 | |
9 | x9748x0045 | GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) | Archie Alexander | John Allen | 8 | 56kg | 98 | |
10 | x6804x2414 | ATTORNEY (FR) | Matthew Smith | Jye McNeil | 11 | 55.5kg | 97 | |
11 | 20064×4844 | SCARLET DREAM | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Luke Currie | 1 | 55kg | 88 | |
12 | x631123143 | LUNAR FLARE | Grahame Begg | Jordan Childs | 5 | 55kg | 74 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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.
Year | Place | Horse | Time |
---|---|---|---|
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 |