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The Race History of the Ipswich Cup run at Ipswich on Saturday has a many and varied past.
Sphenophyta would win a Turnbull Stakes following this race. Can the 2019 Ipswich Cup (2150m) at Ipswich on Saturday produce another quality horse?
2019 IPSWICH CUP - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Ipswich Cup is a feature staying race conducted at Ipswich racecourse in suburban Bundamba by the Ipswich Turf Club as part of the Queensland winter racing carnival.
The Ipswich Cup has a long history with the first running recorded in 1866. However early records are obscure with the race’s modern history dating from 1948 after being suspended from 1937.
The Ipswich Cup is run over 2150m and was awarded Listed Race status in 1980. It was promoted to Group 3 in 1986 and returned to being a Listed Race in 2006.
The distance of the Ipswich Cup was 10 furlongs until 1972 and went to 2100m from 1973 until 1996 when the distance was increased to 2150m.
The Ipswich Cup results include the unique occurrence of dead-heats for first in successive years in 1963 and 1964.
In 1963 Sometime, a Caulfield Cup winner, dead-heated with Confidence and the following year the camera could not split Bore Head, yet another Caulfield Cup winner, and Isaacson.
There has been only one dual winner of the Ipswich Cup since 1948 with Our Lukas winning back to back in 2009 and 2010.
Sphenophyta would go to Lee Freedman in the Spring of 2006 after his Ipswich Cup win and take a Turnbull Stakes.
The race was marred in 2000 when half the field was brought down in a shocking incident up the back straight.
The 2019 Ipswich Cup will be run for prizemoney of $175,000.
Other notable winners of the Ipswich Cup since 1960 include Sharply, Striking Force, Prunda, Lloyd Boy, Golden Rhapsody, In Luck, Hussar’s Command, Donegal Mist, Beachside, Oompala, Henderson Bay, Sculptor, Sphenophyta, Bianca and Shenzhou Steeds.
The 2018 Ipswich Cup was won by Tradesman from First Crush and All In Vogue.
