SA Cup at Globe Derby Park
17 April 2021
It’s been won by champions, Gammarlite and Smoken Up, four times each, holding the record, but names like Minor Derby, Aachen, Minutenman and Pure Steel have all won Adelaide’s feature race.
It was first run as the Handicap Pace 1939 to 1946, then became the Christmas Cup 1947 to 1958, The South Australian Trotting Cup from 1959 to 1983, Winfield Cup 1984 to 1988 then the Smoke Free Cup and the Foundation SA Cup the Bet Easy Cup.
But we all know it as simply the SA Cup and it’s on this Saturday at Globe Derby Park.
The SA Cup was an Australian Grand Circuit race from 1978 until 2012.
It has been run over different distances in recent years, had date changes from Christmas to January, then last year February, and now due to the racing season change, it is run in April. The prize pool has had as many changes as race names. $100,000 for the Group 1 feature was first offered in 1987 for the race won by Paleface Bubble and slumped to $67,600 for Westburn Grant’s 1992 victory. It gained ground to be worth $100,000 in 1996, then when Betezy was naming rights sponsor in 2013 went to $125,000 until 2015.
Inter-dominion winners who have taken out the SA Cup include Thorate, Our Sir Vancelot, Shakamaker, Avian Derby, Young Pedro, Gammalite, Westburn Grant, Golden Reign, Young Mister Charles, Weona Warrior and the most recent Smolda the list goes on right back to Bandbox in 1947.
Bandbox of course, the 1947 winner, is the granddam of Champion Pure Steel who took out the SA Cup in 1979.
So what has become of our premier race and what future does it hold in the land scape of South Australian Harness racing?
It has been run over different distances in recent years, had date changes from Christmas to January, then last year February, and now due to the racing season change, it is run in April.
The prize pool has had as many changes as race names. $100,000 for the Group 1 feature was first offered in 1987 for the race won by Paleface Bubble and slumped to $67,600 for Westburn Grant’s 1992 victory. It gained ground to be worth $100,000 in 1996, then when Betezy was naming rights sponsor in 2013 went to $125,000 until 2015.
Inter-dominion winners who have taken out the SA Cup include Thorate, Our Sir Vancelot, Shakamaker, Avian Derby, Young Pedro, Gammalite, Westburn Grant, Golden Reign, Young Mister Charles, Weona Warrior and the most recent Smolda the list goes on right back to Bandbox in 1947.
Bandbox of course, the 1947 winner, is the granddam of Champion Pure Steel who took out the SA Cup in 1979.
So what has become of our premier race and what future does it hold in the land scape of South Australian Harness racing?
In my opinion, and only mine, The Cup, while the powers to be may have dropped prizemoney because they see the race as an open invitation to ‘interstaters’ to come over and take the cash, needs a boost, maybe not necessarily back to Group 1 status, although that would be nice, but some sort of boost.
In the past we had a two meeting carnival, with the Sires Produce leading into the Derby and the Free For All the week prior for the open class, this year, and not a bad idea, the Gawler and Pirie Cups were made mobiles with the winner exempt from a ballot in the SA Cup.
Heres a thought! We have just seen Mildura pull off a successful carnival and anyone who has been over the ditch to the New Zealand Cup week, why not package a carnival like them?
Imagine having the SA Cup Saturday and the Free For All on the Tuesday night. The Gramel on the Saturday and SA Trotters Cup on Tuesday like the Dominion in NZ.
Throw in the Derby, the Kindergarten and maybe one of the Graduation race series on the Tuesday.
Food for thought!!!
Anyway, best of luck to everyone, both local and interstate. The public can enjoy free admission to Globe Derby Park this Saturday with face painting, on course TAB, food vans and the drivers foot race. The night should be loads of fun.