# Awapuni Gold Cup

The Awapuni Gold Cup is held annually in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It is a set weight and penalties race over 2,000 metres.

## History

First held in 1915, the race has been won by many of New Zealand's most famous racehorses including:
* Balmerino
* Desert Gold
* Grey Way
* Horlicks, the 1989 Japan Cup winner
* Kindergarten
* La Mer
* Mainbrace
* Nightmarch
* Redcraze
* Show Gate
Desert Gold and Sir Slick have won the race three times.
Awapuni Gold Cup winners, Desert Gold and La Mer also won the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes, in 1915 and 1976 respectively.

## Recent winners

| Year | Winner | Sire | Dam | Jockey | Trainer(s) | Time | Second | Third |
| 2024 (Trentham) | Nereus 55 | Savabeel | Eudora | Joe Doyle | Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray, Cambridge | 2:11.87 (soft) | He's A Doozy 58 | Skyman 56 |
| 2023 | Brando 57 | Savabeel | Saoirse | Opie Bosson | Mark Walker | 2:02.65 (soft) | Colorado Star 56 | Kelly Coe 53 |
| 2022 | Zola Express 54.5 | Shamexpress | Zolana, by Golan | Chris Dell | Janelle Millar | 2:01.99 (good) | Tiptronic 59 | Vernanme 57 |
| 2021 | Beauden 56 | Bullbars (Aus) | Belle Femme (Aus) | Ryan Elliot | Team Rogerson, Tuhikaramea | 2:07.12 | Prise De Fer 57 | Callsign Mav 58 |
| 2020 | no race due to COVID-19 | | | | | | | |
| 2019 | Jacksstar 55 | Zed (NZ) | Star Guest (NZ) | Chris Johnson | Gary Vile | 2:02.03 | Sampson 56 | Authentic Paddy 58 |
| 2018 | Our Abbadean 53 | Lookin At Lucky (USA) | Highland Lights (AUS) | Danielle Johnson | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | 2:02.97 | Five To Midnight 56 | Sampson 57 |
| 2017 | Sampson 56 | Dubai Destination (USA) | Magic Star (AUS) | Reese Jones | Howie Mathews | 2:06.51 | Five To Midnight 55 | Woodsman 55 |
| 2016 | Maygrove 57 | Authorized (Ire) | Lady Zhivago (NZ) | Matt Cameron | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | 2:09.68 | Trojan Warrior 55 | King Kamada 55 |
| 2015 | Iamishwara 58 | Keeninsky | She’s Heroic (NZ) | Lisa Allpress | Antony Kaye | 2:04.04 | Jubilate 55 | King Krovanh (Aus) 55 |
| 2014 | Soriano 53.5 | Savabeel (AUS) | Call Me Lily (NZ) | Noel Harris | Graeme & Debbie Rogerson | 2:05.06 | Military Move 56 | Nashville 59 |
| 2013 | Better Than Ever 58 | French Deputy | Songfest | Hayden Tinsley | Jason Bridgman | 2:02.43 | Ransomed 56 | Spiro 55 |
| 2012 | Riomoral 55.5 | Captain Rio | Immoral | Phillip J Turner (A) | Karen McQuade | 2:02.58 | Back In Black 55 | Doctor Fremantle 55 |
| 2011 | Hold It Harvey 57 | King Cugat | Daly Charm | Jamie Bullard | Terri Rae | 2:02.72 | Dawn Ghost 53.5 | Can’t Keeper Down 53 |
| 2010 | Sir Slick 58 | Volksraad | Miss Opera | Samantha Collett | Graeme Nicholson & Paul Allbon | 2:01.55 | Manonamission 55 | Red Ruler 58 |
| 2009 | MacO'Reilly 59 | O'Reilly | Double Babu | Hayden Tinsley | David Haworth | 2:05.01 | Sir Slick 59 | Spectacular Icon 55 |
| 2008 | Sir Slick 59 | Volksraad | Miss Opera | Bruce Herd | Graeme Nicholson & Paul Albon, Te Aroha | 2:03.62 | Chettak 59 | Butch James 59 |
| 2007 | Sir Slick 59 | Volksraad | Miss Opera | Bruce Herd | Graeme Nicholson | 2:01.37 | All Square 59 | Arabian Nights 56.5 |
| 2006 | Tusker 56 | Volksraad | Stella Artois | David Walsh | Murray Baker | 2:02.13 | Kerry O’Reilly 58 | Distinctly Secret 58 |
| 2005 | Distinctly Secret 58 | Distinctly North | Te Akau Secret | Jamie Bullard | Mark Walker, Matamata | 2:02.85 | Showgirl 57 | Penitentiary 57 |
| 2004 (Dead heat) | Irish Rover 58 | Kenfair | Sterling Lea | David Walker | Eddie Carson | 2:02.52 | - | Lough Rinn 58 |
| 2004 (Dead heat) | Distinctly Secret 58 | Distinctly North | Te Akau Secret | Opie Bosson | Mark Walker, Matamata | 2:02.52 | - | Lough Rinn 58 |
| 2003 | Maze 56 | Housebuster (USA) | Strangeways | Gary Grylls | | 2:04.60 | Semper Fidelis 56 | Wolf Creek 57 |
| 2002 | Cent Home 58 | Lord Ballina (Aus) | Centuria | David Walker | Jim Wallace, Opaki | 2:05.55 | Perceptible 58 | College Union 56 |
| 2001 | Cronus 56 | Zabeel | Foreign Copy | Vincent Colgan | | 2:02.19 | No Alimony 58 | Hero 57 |
| 2000 | Cruzeiro 57 | Kaapstad | Janeiro | J Walker | Geoff Georgetti, Marton | 2:03.93 | Kingdom Come 58 | In My Time 57 |
| 1999 | Emerald 56.5 | Grosvenor | Jennifer Rush | Mark Sweeney | | 2:00.74 | Aerosmith 56 | Cruzeiro 58 |
| 1998 | Magnet Bay | Gold And Ivory (USA) | Rivermist | Peter Johnson | D B Frye, Rangiora | 2:04.29 | Sapio 58 | Denholm 58 |
| 1997 | Interval 57 | Paris Opera (AUS) | Resolute | Lee Rutherford | Stephen & Trevor McKee, Takanini | 2:09.02 | Sapio 58 | All In Fun 58 |

## List of other winners

* 1915 Chortle
* 1916 Desert Gold
* 1917 Desert Gold
* 1918 Desert Gold
* 1919 Sasanof
* 1920 Amythas
* 1921 Sasanof
* 1922 Marqueteur
* 1923 Thespian
* 1924 Ballymena
* 1925 Suggestion
* 1926 Rapine
* 1927 Commendation
* 1928 Star Stranger
* 1929 Rapier
* 1930 Vertigern
* 1931 Nightmarch
* 1932 Nightmarch
* 1933 Autopay
* 1934 Silver Ring
* 1935 Silver Ring
* 1936 Greek Shepherd
* 1937 Wild Chase
* 1938 Stretto
* 1939 Beaupartir
* 1940 Beau Vite
* 1941 Kindergarten
* 1946 Langue Dor
* 1947 Beau Le Havre
* 1948 Voltaic
* 1949 Lord Mania
* 1950 Beaumaris
* 1951 Mainbrace
* 1952 Hutton
* 1953 Gendarme
* 1954 Golden Tan
* 1955 Redcraze
* 1956 Syntax
* 1957 Berne
* 1958 Bridie
* 1959 Picaroon
* 1960 Picaroon
* 1961 Ilumquh
* 1962 Key
* 1963 Moy
* 1964 Tatua
* 1965 Royal Duty
* 1966 Palisade
* 1967 Terrific
* 1968 Impetus
* 1969 Aquarelle
* 1970 Bardall
* 1971 Game
* 1972 Young Ida
* 1973 Young Ida
* 1974 Show Gate
* 1975 Hi Bing
* 1976 Grey Way
* 1977 Balmerino
* 1978 La Mer
* 1979 Regal Band
* 1980 Serendiper
* 1981 Mun Lee
* 1982 The Twinkle
* 1983 Commissionaire
* 1984 Commissionaire
* 1985 Catiere
* 1986 Abit Leica
* 1987 Lacka Reason
* 1988 Horlicks
* 1989 The Phantom
* 1990 Grey Philae
* 1991 Fun On The Run
* 1992 Seamist
* 1993 Calm Harbour
* 1994 Strategic
* 1995 Kay Row
* 1996 Sapio

## Associated races

The Awapuni Gold Cup is currently raced in late March or early April on the same day as the:
* Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes over 1400m for 2YO horses.
* Group 3 Manawatu Classic over 2000m for 3YO horses.
* Listed Flying Handicap over 1400m for Open Handicap runners.
Awapuni Racecourse is also the venue for the:
* Listed Marton Cup, an open handicap over 2200m in January.
* Group 3 Manawatu Breeders Stakes over 2000m at weight for age for fillies and mares in April.
* Listed Anzac Mile, open handicap in late April
* Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup, an open handicap over 1600m in May.
* Group 3 Metric Mile, an open handicap over 1550m in September
* Group 3 Eulogy Stakes, in mid-December over 1550m for 3YO fillies.
* Listed Feilding Gold Cup, an open handicap over 2100m in November.
* Group 3 Manawatu Cup, an open handicap over 2200m in December.
* Group 2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes, a Weight For Age race over 1400m in December.