Auckland and Rowe Cup snippets

Auckland presents its biggest night of harness racing tomorrow evening with the $250,000 Group One Trillian Trust Auckland Cup and the $200,000 Group One Reharvest Rowe Cup features.

Take a look back at some of the history behind both races.

Auckland Cup:

At 133 years, the Auckland Cup is the oldest major race in New Zealand. The New Zealand Trotting Cup is 120 years old this year.

The first Auckland Cup in 1890 was won by Commodore. The first five Cups were run over three miles and Commodore’s time for the distance was 10 minutes and 6 seconds. Commodore was owned by Stephen Heaney, the great grandfather of Mike Stormont who was the trainer driver of the 1980 and 1981 winner Delightful Lady.

The Auckland Trotting Cup and the Auckland Galloping Cup of 1894 were won by progeny of the thoroughbred horse Muskapeer. Lottie won the Galloping Cup while Tom Hicks won the Trotting Cup.

When Self Assured lines up tomorrow night he’ll attempt to become the first horse to win the Auckland Cup three times.

Twelve horses have won the race twice, including some of the greats likes Cardigan Bay (1961-1963), Delightful Lady (1980 and 1981), Luxury Liner (1987 and 1988), Chokin (1993 and 1994) Elsu 2003 and 2004 and Themighyquinn (2011 and 2013).

As a trainer Mark Purdon has won the last nine Auckland Cups and eleven in total, going back to Sharp And Telford in 1996.

The two most successful drivers in the 133 year history of the race are Tony Herlihy with eight wins and Mark Purdon with seven.

 Rowe Cup:

This year’s Rowe Cup will be the 105^th. The first in 1918 was won by Whilst, trotting the two miles in 4-48.4. The race record of 4-01.2 is held by 2022 winner Bolt For Brilliance.

The top two drivers in the race’s history are Tony Herlihy six and Peter Wolfenden five.

Lyell Creek is the only horse to have won the Rowe Cup three times – in 2000, 2001 and 2004.

Eleven trotters have won the great race twice, including recent winner Sundees Son (2019 and 2021), I Can Doosit (2011 and 2012) and One Over Kenny (2007 and 2009).

The longest handicapped winner was Recruit in 1957 who started off 132 yards which is 120.7 metres. Driven by Maurice Holmes his winning time for the 2 miles was 4-20.4. Two years later when he won the race for the second time, he started off 78 yards.

Stent was the first Rowe Cup winner to break the 4-05 mark when he won the 2015 edition. His winning time of 4-03.6 was a race record until Bolt For Brilliance trotted the journey in 4-01.2 which is the current race record.

There are seven Rowe Cup millionaires; Lyell Creek ($2,961,137), I Can Doosit ($1,455,774), Sundees Son ($1,401,248), Speeding Spur ($1,304,992), Take A Moment ($1,164,356), Stent ($1,156,750) and One Over Kenny ($1,098,007).

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink