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The Grafton Cup is a Listed race held annually at Grafton Racecourse in NSW. Held in the winter around mid-July, the Grafton Cup is run by the Clarence River Jockey Club (CRJC).

Conducted over 2350m, the Grafton Cup attracts a quality line-up of winter stayers and offers a total of $200,000 in prize money. The headline event of the two-day Grafton Cup Carnival, the black-type takes place on a Thursday and follows the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) for the sprinters at the Grafton track on the Wednesday.

The 2021 Grafton Cup ran on Thursday July 8, 2021 and was won by the Michael Costa-trained favourite Purrfect Deal. 

Grafton Cup 2021
Date:	Thursday July 8, 2021
Track:	Grafton Racecourse
Distance:	2350m
Status:	Listed
Prize Money:	$200,000
Conditions:	Quality Handicap

2021 Grafton Cup Results

• 1st: #10 Purrfect Deal
• 2nd: #3 Laure Me In
• 3rd: #7 Parry Sound

The Grafton Cup 2021 results went the way of the punters with the favourite Purrfect Deal ($3.40) backing-up from her strong Prelude win to do the double, the Gold Coast-trained mare holding off Laure Me In (2nd) and Parry Sound (3rd).

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	10	PURRFECT DEAL	Michael Costa	Ben Thompson		5	54kg		$3.40F
	2	3	LAURE ME IN	Matthew Dunn	Jim Byrne	0.35L	3	56.5kg		$9
	3	7	PARRY SOUND	Bjorn Baker	Michael Cahill	0.63L	9	54kg		$8
	4	6	BERDIBEK (FR)	John O’Shea	Ms Alysha Collett	0.72L	12	54kg		$4.40
	5	12	MAID OF ORE	Nick Olive	Blaike McDougall	1.07L	2	54kg		$41
	6	1	MIRAGE DANCER (GB)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Aaron Bullock	1.68L	13	60.5kg		$21
	7	4	HAPPY GO PLUCKY	John Gilmore	Ms Stephanie Thornton	2.29L	4	56kg		$21
	8	14	COMMANDER BELL	Brett Partelle	Robbie Fradd	4.27L	11	54kg		$31
	9	11	WINDERMERE	Edward O’Rourke	Ben Looker	6.11L	10	54kg		$41
	10	8	HUMBOLT CURRENT (GB)	Chris Waller	Jeff Penza	6.5L	6	54kg		$31
	11	9	PRIMITIVO	John Thompson	Reece Jones (a)	7.35L	1	54kg		$9.50
	12	13	SPENCER	Bjorn Baker	Christian Reith	7.47L	8	54kg (cd 55kg)		$19
	13	5	THE LORD MAYOR (NZ)	Chris Waller	Andrew Gibbons	9.79L	7	54.5kg		$21
		15	GRAND ANTHEM	Cathleen Rode			0
		2	WU GOK	Chris Waller	Andrew Mallyon		0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2021 Grafton Cup Odds

The winter’s latest Grafton Cup 2021 betting odds and market links to Ladbrokes.com.au will be available here leading-up to the race.

Sixties Groove ($3.50 in 2020) followed the next winter by Purrfect Deal ($3.40 in 2021) are the latest favourites in Grafton Cup betting to salute for the punters.

2021 Grafton Cup Field

The Grafton Cup field features plenty of graduates out of the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival events including the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) held a fortnight prior at the Sunshine Coast.

The other key lead-up race into the Grafton Cup field each winter is the Grafton Cup Prelude (2215m) conducted just a week before the Listed event. Rednav (2016) followed by Purrfect Deal (2021) are the latest gallopers to complete the Grafton Cup Prelude – Grafton Cup racing double.

Rosehill’s Listed W J McKell Cup (2000m) also serves as a nice form race into the Grafton Cup field each winter with Sixties Groove (2nd in 2020) the last Grafton Cup winner to come via the Rosehill lead-up.

The official Grafton Cup 2021 Final Field & Barriers are set for release on the Monday of race week and will be published in full below.

The 2021 Grafton Cup field features a line-up of 15 hopefuls including the widely-drawn Mirage Dancer coming off a distant second to Incentivise in the Tatt’s Cup and Ipswich Cup winner Happy Go Plucky.

• Scratched: #15 Grand Anthem (14) 

Click here to read more on the key horses in the 2021 Grafton Cup field and betting markets.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	08x9308x82	MIRAGE DANCER (GB)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Aaron Bullock	15	60.5kg			104
2	7079×83046	WU GOK	Chris Waller	Andrew Mallyon	2	57kg			97
3	91244×4195	LAURE ME IN	Matthew Dunn	Jim Byrne	4	56.5kg			96
4	6713254221	HAPPY GO PLUCKY	John Gilmore	Ms Stephanie Thornton	5	56kg			95
5	x534203037	THE LORD MAYOR (NZ)	Chris Waller	Andrew Gibbons	8	54.5kg			92
6	x1706x0626	BERDIBEK (FR)	John O’Shea	Ms Alysha Collett	13	54kg			90
7	252×832223	PARRY SOUND	Bjorn Baker	Michael Cahill	10	54kg			90
8	9866212427	HUMBOLT CURRENT (GB)	Chris Waller	Jeff Penza	7	54kg			87
9	6x04760x58	PRIMITIVO	John Thompson	Reece Jones (a)	1	54kg			82
10	412113×101	PURRFECT DEAL	Michael Costa	Ben Thompson	6	54kg			81
11	x12123x333	WINDERMERE	Edward O’Rourke	Ben Looker	11	54kg			80
12	x390145946	MAID OF ORE	Nick Olive	Blaike McDougall	3	54kg			79
13	00×9396041	SPENCER	Bjorn Baker	Christian Reith	9	54kg	55kg		78
14	5264006116	COMMANDER BELL	Brett Partelle	Robbie Fradd	12	54kg			70
15	75647×6983	GRAND ANTHEM	Cathleen Rode		14	54kg			44

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2021 Grafton Cup Nominations

The Grafton Cup 2021 Nominations close the Thursday prior to the race, along with those for the Ramornie Handicap.

Ipswich Cup winner Happy Go Plucky and the Joe Pride-trained WJ McKell Cup champ Stockman headline the 20 Grafton Cup 2021 nominations for this winter.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	True Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	6713254221	HAPPY GO PLUCKY	G	7	John Gilmore	1=	56kg	56kg		95
2	35×3764231	STOCKMAN (NZ)	G	4	Joseph Pride	1=	55kg	55kg		93
3	412113×101	PURRFECT DEAL	M	4	Michael Costa	1=	54kg	54kg		81
4	08x9308x82	MIRAGE DANCER (GB)	H	7	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	4	60.5kg	60.5kg		104
5	7079×83046	WU GOK	G	7	Chris Waller	5	57kg	57kg		97
6	91244×4195	LAURE ME IN	G	6	Matthew Dunn	6	56.5kg	56.5kg		96
7	x534203037	THE LORD MAYOR (NZ)	G	6	Chris Waller	7	54.5kg	54.5kg		92
8	1x1706x062	BERDIBEK (FR)	G	7	John O’Shea	8=	54kg	54kg		90
9	252×832223	PARRY SOUND	G	5	Bjorn Baker	8=	54kg	54kg		90
10	9866212427	HUMBOLT CURRENT (GB)	G	6	Chris Waller	10	54kg	54kg		87
11	6x04760x58	PRIMITIVO	G	6	John Thompson	11	54kg	54kg		82
12	11031×4338	APPROACH DISCREET	G	5	Adrian McGregor	12	54kg	54kg		81
13	x12123x333	WINDERMERE	M	5	Edward O’Rourke	13	54kg	54kg		80
14	x390145946	MAID OF ORE	M	6	Nick Olive	14	54kg	54kg		79
15	16×9310141	BROWN THOMAS	G	5	Garry White	15	54kg	54kg		75
16	500×939604	SPENCER	G	6	Bjorn Baker	16	54kg	54kg		74
17	5264006116	COMMANDER BELL	G	5	Brett Partelle	17	54kg	54kg		70
18	3248177452	SCILAGO	G	5	Leon Elliott	18	54kg	54kg		54
19	8757503362	CHAPAL	G	6	Theresa Stair	19	54kg	54kg		50
20	375647×698	GRAND ANTHEM	G	5	Cathleen Rode	20	54kg	54kg		44

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Grafton Cup History

The Grafton Cup has long been an important part of NSW country racing. Since its inception, regional trainers have placed major emphasis on the race as one of the better staying events held outside of metropolitan areas. The Grafton Cup is held on the second Thursday of every July, a tradition that grants the CRJC a day with no competing black type events. The Wednesday prior to the Grafton Cup also boasts racing, forming a two day racing festival which is quite popular in the area. A half-holiday is granted throughout the shire on Grafton Cup Day.

Notable Grafton Cup winners include Mr O’Ceirin (2013), Twin Wing (2010) and Pacific Dancer (2004).

In 2020 Sixties Groove made Grafton Cup history carrying a record 61kg to victory.

Grafton Cup Results

The Grafton Cup winners and results since 2000 are listed below.

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2021 Grafton Cup	1st	Purrfect Deal	2 minutes 24.44 seconds
	2nd	Laure Me In
	3rd	Parry Sound
2020 Grafton Cup	1st	Sixties Groove	2 minutes 25.98 seconds
	2nd	The Lord Mayor
	3rd	Carzoff
2019 Grafton Cup	1st	Sacred Day	2 minutes 26.46 seconds
	2nd	Sopressa
	3rd	Vaucluse Bay
2018 Grafton Cup	1st	First Crush	2 minutes 23.3 seconds
	2nd	Winkler
	3rd	Reneged
2017 Grafton Cup	1st	Supply And Demand	2 minutes 23.33
	2nd	Get On The Grange
	3rd	Montauk
2016 Grafton Cup	1st	Rednav	2:24.44 seconds
	2nd	All Clear
	3rd	Jumbo Prince
2015 Grafton Cup	1st	Bonfire	2:22.59 seconds
	2nd	Kapour
	3rd	Shoreham
2014 Grafton Cup	1st	Queenstown	2:24.10 seconds
	2nd	Secessio
	3rd	Noisy Ocean
2013 Grafton Cup	1st	Mr O’Ceirin	2:26.16
	2nd	Yulalona
	3rd	Reuben Percival
2012 Grafton Cup	1st	Shamardashing	2:25.30
	2nd	Saint Encosta
	3rd	Warrior Within
2011 Grafton Cup	1st	Warrior Within	2:23.56
	2nd	Gold In Dubai
	3rd	Shuffle The Cash
2010 Grafton Cup	1st	Twin Wing	2:23.98
	2nd	Frozone
	3rd	Ironstein
2009 Grafton Cup	1st	Castle Heights	2:24.98
	2nd	Hume
	3rd	Twin Wing
2008 Grafton Cup	1st	Art Success	2:22.92
	2nd	Belmonte
	3rd	Juerga
2007 Grafton Cup	1st	Ashraf	2:22.91
	2nd	Kincharm
	3rd	Casa De Campo
2006 Grafton Cup	1st	Rocking On	2:26.41
	2nd	Gaze On
	3rd	Victory Charm
2005 Grafton Cup	1st	Stormhill	2:25.50
	2nd	Precise Timing
	3rd	Dancing Daggers
2004 Grafton Cup	1st	Pacific Dancer	2:26.48
	2nd	Corporate Queen
	3rd	Zabeat
2003 Grafton Cup	1st	Belus	2:27.20
	2nd	Majestically
	3rd	Legerdemain
2002 Grafton Cup	1st	Master Pom	2:26.86
	2nd	Paestum
	3rd	Asia
2001 Grafton Cup	1st	Desk Top Lover	2:27.78
	2nd	Crown Mahal
	3rd	Viva La Vie
2000 Grafton Cup	1st	Simigan	2:26.21
	2nd	Super Revenir
	3rd	Akwazoff