Australian Cup Betting

The Australian Cup has undoubtedly been one of the most-revered events on the annual greyhound racing calendar since its inception almost six decades ago.

The race is held over 525m at The Meadows and offered a staggering winner’s cheque of $250,000, which has now be boosted up to $300,000 as of 2020.

The most recent edition of the race in 2020 was won by Anthony Azzopardi’s superstar greyhound Fernando’s Riot.

Betting on the Group 1 Australian Cup

Being one of the flagship races within the sport, there is always enormous betting interest throughout the entire Australian Cup series.

All of our recommended online bookmakers provide fixed odds betting on both the heats and final, with odds released during the week once the final fields and box draws have been announced.

By opening markets so early, punters are able to study the form and shop around between bookies in order to secure the best prices for their chosen runners.

Some bookmakers, such as Bet365 and Sportsbet, also release ‘all-in’ markets, which allows to bet on the winner of the final prior to the heats being run and won.

This can provide terrific value, with inflated odds generally available for several leading contenders and even outsiders you think could play a bold part in the series.

Best bookmakers for Australian Cup betting

History of the Australian Cup

The inaugural running of the Australian Cup took place in 1958 when it was run as a handicap event over 675 yards at the old North Melbourne track. The winner was the mighty Rookie Revel, which claimed the feature as the backmarker coming off an eight-yard handicap. Despite finding interference throughout the race, Rookie Rebel came home like a train to defeat Magic Babe by three lengths on the line, earning trainer Wally Hooper £800 for the win.

The event was held over the 675-yard distance at North Melbourne until 1962, with no race held the following year whilst the Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association made the move to a new track at Olympic Park. In 1964 the race was run and won over 560 yards, remaining a handicap race until 1965.

The Australian Cup was held at Olympic Park until the closure of the track in 1998. In 1999 it was held for the first time at The Meadows where it was run over 518m until 2001. Since that time it has been held over the 525m trip.

The Australian Cup was the richest race in Australia between the years 1960 and 1962 when it was worth £1,400 to the winner and again from 1964 to 1978. In 1979 it was equal with the Melbourne Cup, with both races being worth a substantial $30,000. In 1983 the prize money was bolstered to $50,000 which saw it once again become the most lucrative event until 1989.

Interestingly, the Australian Cup is a rare feature event on the calendar to have featured a dead heat, with the 2003 running resulting in the judge being unable to split Most Awesome and Blackjack Tom.

Since its inception the race has been won by some of the best greyhounds the sport has seen, with the honor roll boasting names such as Benjamin John (1969), Tangaloa (1980), Eaglehawk Star (1985), Ginger (1989), China Trip (1992 & 1993), Mancunian Girl (1994), Brett Lee (2001), Bogie Leigh (2004), Velocette (2009), Buckle Up Wes (2014), Dyna Double One (2016) and Fanta Bale (2017).

Group 1 Australian Cup – the recent years

• 2020 – Fernando’s Riot steps out of the shadows of his brother

  Fernando’s Riot stunned everyone, including trainer Anthony Azzopardi. He not only took down his $2.70 favourite brother Whiskey Riot, who was gunning for his third Group 1 win, but also made history as the first greyhound to take the win from Box 6 since superstar Brett Lee in 2001.

  Fernando’s Riot secured second place coming around the last corner and managed to tackle down Hardaway Winnie to win the cup by a quarter of a length.

  2020 Australian Cup results

  When	February 29, 2020
  Where	The Meadows
  First Prize	$300,000
  Winner	Fernando’s Riot
  Trainer	Anthony Azzoparid
  Born	28/01/2017 Black Dog
  Owner	Annalise Roberts
  Margin	1.54
  Time:	29.72
  Others in finishing order
  Hardaway Winnie, Whiskey Riot, Mister Harlewood, Scatterbox, Aston Cade, Hard Style Rico, and Last Hurrah

• 2019 – Andrea Dailly takes out her fifth Australian Cup with Dyna Patty

  A never been seen record has been set Andrea Dailly as she lands her fifth Australian Cup win in 9 years with $3.90 favourite Dyna Patty. Jumping straight out of Box 1 Dyna Patty managed to find the lead alongside Black Opium however the class of the daughter of superstar Fernando Bale was too much for Black Opium as she was able to leave a gap of 2 lengths flying past the post at a staggering 29.58.
  2019 Australian Cup Results

  When	March 02, 2019
  Where	The Meadows
  First Prize	$250,000
  Winner	Dyna Patty
  Trainer	Andrea Dailly
  Born	01/03/2016 Dark Brindle Bitch
  Owner	Brendan Wheeler
  Margin	2.75
  Time:	29.58
  Others in finishing order
  Black Opium, Deliver, Bago Bye Bye, Miss Splendamiro, My Redeemer, Dyna Oscar, Shima Breeze

• 2018 – Hecton Bale simply brilliant

  Hecton Bale overcame a seemingly unsuitable box eight draw to salute in the most recent edition of the Australian Cup. The black powerhouse wasn’t brilliantly away, but managed to work his way to the front of the pack to win by five and a half lengths in a blistering 29.54.

  2018 Australian Cup results

  When	March 03, 2018
  Where	The Meadows
  First Prize	$250,000
  Winner	Hecton Bale
  Trainer	Andrea Dailly
  Born	18/09/2015 Black Dog
  Owner	Ten Eighty (SYN)
  Margin	1.60
  Time:	29.53
  Others in finishing order
  Hasten Slowly, Opal Nera, Zipping Inglis, Raw Ability, Dyna Forrest, Slick, Chasin’ Crackers

• 2017 – Fanta Bale – the start of something great

  Having already won the Group 1 Hume Cup and Rookie Rebel at The Meadows, Fanta Bale dropped back to the sprint trip to record a sensational win in the 2017 Australian Cup. The daughter of David Bale and Ucme Typhoon overcame an awkward draw in box eight and was far too classy for her rivals when stopping the clock in 30.01.

  2017 Australian Cup results

  When	March 04, 2017
  Where	The Meadows
  First Prize	$250,000
  Winner	Fanta Bale
  Trainer	Robert Britton
  Born	14/08/2014 Black Bitch
  Owner	Brendan Wheeler
  Margin	1.40
  Time:	30.01
  Others in finishing order
  Eminent Reality, Aeroplane Bob, Aston Bolero, Matt Machine, Monaro Monelli, Blazin Bomber, Lightning Frank

• 2016 – Dyna Double One goes out with a bang

  Dyna Double One became the second greyhound in world history to accumulate more than $1M in prize money when taking out the 2016 Australian Cup. The black dog settled in behind Black Frenzy before unleashing a powerful finishing burst, hitting the lead and charging clear to score in 29.75. The win was also monumental in the sense that Dyna Double One was just the third greyhound to achieve the Melbourne Cup – Australian Cup double, joining former champions Tangaloa and Rookie Rebel.

  2016 Australian Cup results

  When	March 05, 2016
  Where	The Meadows
  First Prize	$250,000
  Winner	Dyna Double One
  Trainer	Andrea Dailly
  Born	14/03/2013 Black Dog
  Owner	Brendan Wheeler
  Margin	3.51
  Time:	29.75
  Others in finishing order
  Black Frenzy, Diego Bale, Moreira, Ernest Bale, Aston Bolero, Pop The Cork, Xtreme Knocka

• 2015 – Career highlight for Kleeven

  Gerry Kleeven celebrated the biggest success in 50 years of training when winning the 2015 Australian Cup with his home bred sprinter Luca Neveelk. The blue dog was poorly away but mustered plenty of pace to draw level with Lamia Bale around the first turn before hitting top gear and sprinting clear to record victory by three-quarters-of-a-length over Quartz Bale in 29.97.

  2015 Australian Cup results

  When	March 07, 2015
  Where	The Meadows
  First Prize	$250,000
  Winner	Luca Neveelk
  Trainer	Gerald Kleevan
  Born	01/05/2012 Blue Dog
  Owner	Paul Kleevan
  Margin	4.46
  Time:	29.968
  Others in finishing order
  Quartz Bale, Hostile, Sisco Rage, Emrys, Samus Allen, Recruitment, Lamia Bale

• 2014 – a win for Tasmania

  Tasmanian superstar Buckle Up Wes gave nothing else a chance in the 2014 Australian Cup, leading all the way from box seven to score in 29.74. The son of Collision and Everlong Bale defeated a star studded field including Keybow (second), Dyna Nalin (third), Kiss Me Ketut (seventh) and Marcus Joe (eighth).

  2014 Australian Cup results

  When	March 01, 2014
  Where	The Meadows
  First Prize	$250,000
  Winner	Buckle Up Wes
  Trainer	Edward Medhurst
  Born	06/06/2011 Blaxk Dog
  Owner	Johnson Sutton (SYN)
  Margin	5.24
  Time:	29.74
  Others in finishing order
  Keybow, Dyna Nalin, Hallelujay Henry, Musquin Bale, Marcus Joe, Kiss Me Ketut, Innocent Til

Group 1 Australian Cup honour roll