JRA Cup
The JRA Cup is a Group 3 open handicap race that takes place towards the end of September at Moonee Valley racecourse during the Melbourne spring racing carnival. The race is run over a distance of 2040 metres and offers $200,000 in prize money. The 2020 JRA Cup was won by Al Galayel from Plein Ciel with Levendi third.
Held on Group 1 AJ Moir Stakes night on Grand Final eve at Moonee Valley, the JRA Cup was upgraded from a listed race to a Group 3 event for the 2010/2011 racing season.
JRA Cup info
| Date: | Friday 24th September 2021 |
| Track: | Moonee Valley racecourse, Melbourne |
| Distance: | 2040 metres |
| Race Type: | Open Handicap |
| Status: | Group 3 |
| Prize Money: | $200,000 |
| 2020 Winner: | Al Galayel |
The JRA Cup has grown in stature over the past few years and serves as an ideal race for staying types honing their fitness for the quality longer races to come during the carnival. The field generally assembles more than handy types as a rule but in recent times has managed to produce a Melbourne Cup and WS Cox Plate winner.
Shocking (3rd in 2009) ran third in this race before going on to taste success in the Melbourne Cup in November, while Maldivian (2007) won the WS Cox Plate the following year. Master O'Reilly (3rd in 2007) was successful in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup the following month and the JRA Cup has proven a pivotal race of the spring in recent years.
A race such as the Gr 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on the last day of the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival might also be on the long term plans for horses contesting this event. Capecover (7th in 2008) won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes after being unplaced in this event and Ironstein (3rd in 2012) managed to place in both races.
Captain Cook (2019) ran third in an Open Handicap race over 1700m at Flemington before leading all the way to win this event in narrow fashion for the Chris Waller stable.
Recent JRA Cup winners include The Taj Mahal (2018) and Jon Snow (2017).
Spring Carnival Guide
Mask Of Time (4th in 2018) captured the Gr3 Coongy Handicap at Caulfield at his next start.
The United States (6th in 2015) won the Gr2 Moonee Valley Cup at Moonee Valley after his unplaced run in this event, while Ironstein (3rd in 2012) finished third in the Moonee Valley Cup before running second in the Gr3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington during the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Domesky (3rd in 2011) managed to win the listed Ballarat Cup at Dowling Forest after running third in the JRA Cup
Precedence (2010) ran third in the Gr2 Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield and then won the Moonee Valley Cup at Moonee Valley, while Linton (3rd in 2010) won the Herbert Power Stakes before finishing runner-up in the Gr3 Hotham Handicap at Flemington.
2020 JRA Cup result
1. $3.80 Al Galayel 56.0 Ben Melham
2. $4.60 Plein Ciel 55.5 Billy Egan
3. $26.00 Levendi 58.5 Jason Maskiell
then followed
4. $7.50 Mirage Dancer 60.5 Mark Zahra
5. $10.00 Quick Thinker 59.5 Michael Dee
6. $7.50 Miami Bound 56.0 Damien Oliver
7. $9.50 Mantastic 55.0 Craig Williams
8. $13.00 Royal Crown 55.0 Jamie Kah
9. $26.00 Platinum Invador 57.0 Luke Nolen
10. $31.00 Vin De Dance 55.0 William Pike
Margins: 2.25 len, 1.75 len
Time: 2:07.94
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JRA Cup winners & placegetters
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
| 2020 | Al Galayel | Plein Ciel | Levendi | 2:07.9 |
| 2019 | Captain Cook | Sully | Mosh Music | 2:06.4 |
| 2018 | The Taj Mahal | Gallic Chieftain | Sir Isaac Newton | 2:05.3 |
| 2017 | Jon Snow | Ecuador | Boom Time | 2:07.1 |
| 2016 | Real Love | Maurus | Tarquin | 2:05.7 |
| 2015 | Escado | Magnapal | Velox | 2:05.8 |
| 2014 | The Cleaner | Sangster | Mourinho | 2:05.9 |
| 2013 | Mourinho | Gris Caro | The Great Snowman | 2:06.1 |
| 2012 | Bianmick | Dance With Her | Ironstein | 2:06.6 |
| 2011 | Dream Pedlar | Carnero | Domesky | 2:08.7 |
| 2010 | Precedence | Rainbow Styling | Linton | 2:05.3 |
| 2009 | Alcopop | Field Hunter | Shocking | 2:08.4 |
| 2008 | Cefalu | Majestical | Devil Moon | 2:05.9 |
| 2007 | Maldivian | Pacino | Master O'Reilly | 2:05.8 |
| 2006 | Pavlova | Spinney | Delvecchio | 2:07.0 |
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