Launceston Cup

Looking for this year’s Launceston Cup betting odds, field and tips? The expert tipsters at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.

Launceston Cup 2026 Results

The official 2026 Launceston Cup results will be available below once the race takes place on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. 

Glenn Stevenson’s tough Capitalist six-year-old, Asva ($26), was given a peach of a ride by late call-up Jett Stanley to score a boilover at big odds in Wednesday’s 2026 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup results. Having found the front by the top of the straight, the track specialist was dominant leading them to the line and holding on to deny 200/1 rank outsider Zulu Angel by a length in an improved run on his lead-up Hobart Cup 12th.

Launceston Cup 2026 Tips

Our exclusive 2026 Launceston Cup tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a full betting preview published on the Neds Blog.

Run over 2,400 metres in late February, the Launceston Cup is one of the big races during Tasmania’s Summer Racing Carnival. This race has held a Group 3 listing for over 35 years and currently offers a generous $250,000 in prize money. 

Taking place a fortnight earlier, the Hobart Cup is run at the same mile and a half distance and serves as the key lead-up into the Launceston Cup. Eastender (2019) was the last stayer to do the Hobart – Launceston Cup double. 

In 2022 Ho Ho Khan won the Hobart Cup, ran second in the Launceston Cup results then headed to Melbourne for a brave fourth at 60/1 in Flemington’s Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m).

In 2023 Aurora’s Symphony successfully defended his 2022 title to become the latest dual Launceston Cup winner.

The best out of the Launceston Cup may also head to South Australia for the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) run at Morphettville in early March.

Excelleration (2024) was the last horse to complete the Launceston Cup – Adelaide Cup double.

Launceston Cup 2026 – Quick Information

• Race Day: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
• Track Location: Launceston Racecourse
• Track Surface: Turf
• Track Direction: Left-handed
• Race Distance: 2,400 metres
• Weight Conditions: Handicap
• Qualification: Open
• Type: Thoroughbred
• Grade: Group 3
• Operator: Tasmanian Turf Club
• Prize Purse: $250,000
• Inaugural Race: 1865
• 2026 Launceston Cup Winner: Asva

Launceston Cup Betting 2026

There are many different ways to bet on the Launceston Cup, and we have included some of the most popular options below:

Bet Type	How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Launceston Cup
Win Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Launceston Cup.
Place Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Launceston Cup. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds.
Each-Way Bet	If your runner finishes 1st in the Launceston Cup, you will collect both the Win and the Place dividend. If your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd you will collect the Place dividend.
Quinella Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in any order, within the Launceston Cup, in order to win the Quinella.
Exacta Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Launceston Cup to win the Exacta.
Trifecta Bet	You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Launceston Cup to win the Trifecta.
First Four	You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Launceston Cup to win the First 4.
Quadrella Bet (Quaddie)	You must select the winners of four nominated races to win the Quaddie. This means you would have to select three other races apart from the Launceston Cup, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie.

How To Bet on The Launceston Cup in 2026

1. Log in at neds.com.au
2. Make a deposit, using your credit card, PayPal or other safe electronic method
3. Make sure to check out form guide, once it’s released
4. Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options, please read our section on Launceston Cup Betting above).
5. Select the horse(s) for the race.

Which Horse Will Win the Launceston Cup in 2026

The best way to pick which horse will win the Launceston Cup in 2026 is to take into account their lead-up Tasmanian summer racing form, assess the barriers, consider the weight the horse will carry and look for past performers in the same event from prior seasons. 

Additional factors to take consider when picking the Launceston Cup winner include: 

• Cups Double: The Hobart Cup (2400m) run a fortnight prior serves as the best lead-up and the Tassie Cups Double is a popular punt.
• The Locals Have It: Historically local, Tasmanian-trained stayers have dominated the Launceston Cup results.

Launceston Cup Favourites 2026

Favourites in 2026 Launceston Cup betting including narrow last start Hobart Cup runner-up Ziryab from the Ciaron Maher stable, Phillip Stokes’ rails-drawn nine-year-old Taramansour and the 60kg topweight Major Beel for Waterhouse & Bott.

Big Duke ($2.10 in 2017) and Excelleration ($2.60 in 2024) are the latest Launceston Cup favourites to win.

A huge Launceston Cup boilover occurred in 2026 with Asva saluting at a $26 starting price. He defeated $201 outsider Zulu Angel and the previous year’s champ Distrustful Award who added further value to the 2026 trifecta.

Launceston Cup 2026 Field

The official 2026 Launceston Cup field of final acceptances is announced the Friday prior to the race and will be published in full below. 

The Ladbrokes Launceston Cup 2026 final field features a bumper line-up of summer stayers led in betting by the Ciaron Maher-trained Ziryab who comes back a half-kilo from the weight he carried to a close Hobart Cup second last time out.

Launceston R9

Final Race time: 

	Entrant	Last 6	Sex	Barrier	Weight
	1. Major Beel J: Winona Costin T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	x99164	G	9	60kg
	2. Taramansour J: Luke Currie T: Phillip Stokes	808154	G	1	56.5kg
	3. Bank Maur J: Craig Newitt T: Richard Laming	x90310	G	11	55.5kg
	4. Blonde Star J: Erica Byrne Burke T: Imogen Miller	513451	M	5	54kg
	5. Strawberry Rock J: Teo Nugent T: Ciaron Maher	069856	G	6	54kg
	6. Distrustful Award J: Chloe Wells T: Peter Luttrell	7x6633	G	12	54kg
	7. Asva J: Jett Stanley T: Glenn Stevenson	371120	G	4	54kg
	8. Wineglass Bay J: Jabez Johnstone T: John Blacker	086337	G	14	54kg
	9. Ziryab J: Beau Mertens T: Ciaron Maher	962682	G	2	54kg
	10. Fast Thinker J: Sam Kennedy T: Kelvin Hamilton	259161	G	8	54kg
	11. General Assembly J: Lauryn Bingley T: Angela Brakey	x80503	G	15	54kg
	12. Ashfall J: Liam Riordan T: Ashley Meaburn	977879	G	7	54kg
	13. Zulu Angel J: Jackson Radley T: John Blacker	788068	G	13	54kg
	14. Golden Prophet J: Christopher Pang T: Adam Trinder	635278	G	10	54kg
	15. No Rumours J: Harry Grace T: Paul Preusker	2x4621	G	3	54kg

View Results

Launceston Cup Race Day 2026

Launceston Cup Day 2026 takes place at Launceston Racecourse on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, with the key support act on the card being the Group 3 $150,000 Vamos Stakes (1400m) for fillies and mares. 

Launceston Cup Barrier Draw 2026

The 2026 Launceston Cup barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and will be published in our above Launceston Cup Field section.

Launceston Cup Nominations 2026

2026 Launceston Cup nominations close at 12:00 PM on the Wednesday prior to the race. 

Launceston Cup Weights 2026

Handicap conditions apply to this race. Final weights are announced at 4:00 PM on the Thursday prior to the race with the official 2026 Launceston Cup weights on the final acceptors to be published in our above Launceston Cup Field section.

2026 Launceston Cup Topweight:

• No. 1 Major Beel (60kg)

Launceston Cup Acceptances 2026

2026 Launceston Cup final acceptances must be declared before 9:00 AM on the Friday prior to the race and will be published in our above Launceston Cup Field section.

Launceston Cup Jockeys 2026

The final riders must be announced by 12:00 PM on the Friday prior to the race with the official 2026 Launceston Cup jockeys to be published in our above Launceston Cup Field section.

Launceston Cup Prize Money 2026

The 2026 Launceston Cup prize purse is worth $250,000 in total, distributed from places first through to eighth.

Place	Prize Money
1st	$150,000
2nd	$45,000
3rd	$22,500
4th	$11,250
5th	$6,250
6th	$5,000
7th	$5,000
8th	$5,000

Launceston Cup Race Number 2026

The 2026 Launceston Cup race number is scheduled as Launceston Race 9 at 5:29pm (AEDT) on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. There are ten races in total that day at Launceston Racecourse.

Launceston Cup Form Guide 2026

The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2026 Launceston Cup Form Guide following final acceptances. 

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 LAUNCESTON CUP FORM GUIDE

Launceston Cup Live 2026

You can watch or listen to the 2026 Launceston Cup live, across the following mediums.

Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)

Radio: Radio Sport National

Streaming: Tas Racing

Launceston Cup Winners

Winners of the Launceston Cup going back to the year 1983 are displayed in the table below. If you would like to see results going back to 1865, please check our Launceston Cup winners’ page.

Year	Winner	Trainer/s	Jockey	Weight	Time
2026	Asva	Glenn Stevenson	Jett Stanley	54 kgs	2:33.51
2025	Distrustful Award	Peter Luttrell	Anthony Darmanin	54 kgs	2:30.57
2024	Excelleration	Richard Cully	Harry Coffey	54 kgs	2:31.53
2023	Aurora’s Symphony	Symon Wilde	Blaike McDougall	55.5 kgs	2:31.35
2022	Aurora’s Symphony	Symon Wilde	Harry Coffey	54 kgs	2:30.55
2021	Glass Warrior	John Blacker	Ms Sigrid Carr	54 kgs	2:31.70
2020	Home By Midnight	Patrick Payne	Billy Egan	59 kgs	2:33.13
2019	Eastender	Barry Campbell	Craig Newitt	57 kgs	2:31.54
2018	Bondeiger	D K Weir	Regan Bayliss	54 kgs	2:29.56
2017	Big Duke	D K Weir	Ben Allen	55.5 kgs	2:31.30
2016	Up Cups	D L Brunton	D Pires	58 kgs	2:34.99
2015	Genuine Lad	Bill Ryan	Craig Williams	54 kgs	2:29.67
2014	Epingle	M C Kent	Craig Williams	56 kgs	2:31.30
2013	Geegees Blackflash	J F Luttrell	P Mertens	59.5 kgs	2:34.10
2012	Prevailing	D & S Brunton	A Darmanin	54 kgs	2:34.09
2011	Fast Future	R F Cameron	J Mott	55.5 kgs	2:30.35
2010	Larry’s Never Late	Rodney Douglas	B Melham	53.5 kgs	2:31.24
2009	Zavite	A J Cummings	N Rawiller	58.5 kgs	2:31.26
2008	Ista Kareem	C W Little	D Brereton	58 kgs	2:31.20
2007	Hofmeister	R W Smerdon	B Rawiller	57.5 kgs	2:28.87
2006	Precise Timing	M R Stitt	R Thompson	58 kgs	2:30.07
2005	Dakasha	L M Macdonald	Ms C Lindop	51.5 kgs	2:32.23
2004	Zacielo	P G Moody	C Newitt	55 kgs	2:32.77
2003	St. Andrews	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
2002	St. Andrews	G E Blacker	S Maskiell	57 kgs	2:31.09
2001	Full of Rhythm	A J Vasil	B Werner	54 kgs	2:45.59
2000	St. Andrews	G E Blacker	S Maskiell	51 kgs	2:48.57
1999	Streak	R W Smerdon	D Oliver	56 kgs	2:47.24
1998	King’s Landing	K M Sweeney	D Oliver	54.5 kgs	2:42.40
1997	Ticking Away	W N McShane	B Macdonald	56 kgs	2:43.29
1996	Free Beer	G S White	C Kingston	55.5 kgs	2:48.89
1995	Free Beer	G S White	C Kingston	54.5 kgs	2:44.57
1994	Rich Dreams	Ms S Gotts	M Clarke	52 kgs	2:41.50
1993	Diamond Bases	A E Elkington	S R King	53 kgs	2:46.50
1992	Star Cheers	W M Cousins	K Sanderson	50 kgs	2:42.00
1991	Bitter Spring	G E Blacker	S Maskiell	52.5 kgs	2:44.40
1990	Down The Pitch	M A O’Leary	H White	53.5 kgs	2:42.70
1989	Shykoski	L M Gaffney	D W Holland	48.5 kgs	2:43.80
1988	Superior Way	K N Rogerson	H White	54.5 kgs	2:42.10
1987	Brave Trespasser	G S White	Ms B Buckingham	51.5 kgs	2:40.59
1986	Epigram	T W Evans	A Skeoch	50 kgs	2:40.30
1985	Scruples	W J Green	G King	53.5 kgs	2:42.60
1984	Martian’s Son	J P Gaffney	R Heffernan	49 kgs	2:43.10
1983	Nifty Red	D C Towns	B Griffin	50 kgs	2:42.20