2026 New Zealand Trotting Cup - Facts, figures and history

Group 1 | Addington Raceway | 3200m standing start | Tuesday, 10 November 2026

The $800,000 New Zealand Trotting Cup brings together past winners, Australian stars and New Zealand challengers. Here are the records, statistics and historical trends behind the great race.

Multiple Cup winners

Swayzee will attempt to become just the fourth horse to win the New Zealand Trotting Cup three times, joining three champions who each completed a hat-trick of victories:

• Terror To Love — 2011, 2012 and 2013
• False Step — 1958, 1959 and 1960
• Indianapolis — 1934, 1935 and 1936

Other dual winners in recent decades include Il Vicolo (1995–96), Just An Excuse (2003–04), Flashing Red (2006–07), Monkey King (2009–10), Lazarus (2016–17), Copy That (2021–22) and Swayzee (2023–24). Defending champion Kingman is seeking back-to-back victories.

Most wins as a driver

• 7 — Ricky May: 1989, 1997, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
• 6 — Mark Purdon: 1995, 1996, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020
• 6 — Cecil Devine: 1951, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1979

In the past 10 editions, Mark Purdon and Blair Orange (2019, 2021 and 2022) have each won three Cups. Australian drivers Cameron Hart (2023 and 2024) and Luke McCarthy (2025) have won the past three editions.

Kerryn Manning became the first female driver to win the Cup aboard Arden Rooney in 2015. Natalie Rasmussen followed with Thefixer in 2018. Samantha Ottley drives Tact McLeod this year.

Most wins as a trainer

• 6 — Mark Purdon: 1995, 1996, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020
• 6 — Cecil Devine: 1951, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1979
• 6 — James “Scotty” Bryce: 1916, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1933

Previous winners and placegetters

Swayzee (2023 and 2024) and Kingman (2025) have won the past three editions between them. In 2025, favourite Leap To Fame finished runner-up and Merlin was third. Other 2025 runners returning this year include Better Knuckle Up (fourth), Republican Party (sixth) and Mo’unga (10th).

From the 2024 field, Swayzee (first), Republican Party (third), Merlin (fourth), Mo’unga (sixth) and Tact McLeod (seventh) are back. Swayzee also won in 2023, when Republican Party finished fifth.

2025 New Zealand Trotting Cup result

Trainers and drivers to watch

Trainers: Australians Luke McCarthy (Kingman) and Jason Grimson (Swayzee and Minos) have prepared the winners of the past three Cups. Barry Purdon has four previous victories, most recently with Chokin in 1993. He jointly trains Merlin and Better Knuckle Up with Scott Phelan.

Drivers: Anthony Butt (Franco Sinatra) has won three Cups, most recently aboard Flashing Red. Luke McCarthy (Kingman) and Cameron Hart (Swayzee) have won the most recent editions.

Age and sex trends

Age: Male horses aged four, five or six have won 15 of the past 20 Cups and nine of the past 10. Notable older winners include Cruz Bromac (eight in 2019), Monkey King (seven and eight in 2009–10) and Flashing Red (nine and 10 in 2006–07).

At eight, Swayzee is the oldest runner in this year’s field. Marketplace and Bettors Anvil are among the youngest at four, alongside second emergency Rubira.

Sex: There are no mares in this year’s Cup. Adore Me (2014) was the last mare to win, following Mainland Banner (2005) and Kym’s Girl (2001) earlier this century. Blossom Lady won in 1992.

Handicap history

As in recent years, there is no handicap. The most recent handicapped winner was Flashing Red, who won his second Cup in 2007 as a 10-year-old from a 15-metre handicap.

Australian winners

Australian-owned, trained and driven horses have won the past three Cups, through Swayzee (2023 and 2024) and Kingman (2025). Although Australian runners have dominated in recent years, the race was first held in 1904 and did not have an Australian winner until Steel Jaw in 1983.

Lightning Blue followed in 1987 and Arden Rooney in 2015, before Swayzee and Kingman added the three most recent victories. The past seven Cup winners have had Australian ownership. Tiger Tara and Smoken Up each placed twice without winning.

Read John Tapp’s feature: Steel Jaw and Norm Lang – The trailblazing Aussie duo who rewrote NZ Cup history in 1983.

Betting trends

• 18 of the past 20 winners started at single-figure odds, with an average winning dividend of $5.81.
• Shortest-priced winner: Lazarus at $1.30 in 2017. He won at $1.90 in 2016; Iraklis (1997) had previously been the most recent odds-on winner.
• Longest-priced winner: Borana at $76.65 in 1985.

In 2026 futures betting, Leap To Fame was quoted as short as $1.60 before easing to $1.80 after the Ashburton Stakes and the final-field release. He drew outside his principal Australian rivals and previous Cup winners Swayzee and Kingman.

The more notable early market movements were:

• Swayzee: $7 into $6
• The Lazarus Effect: $31 into $26
• Merlin: $41 into $31
• Marketplace: $4.80 out to $6

Odds: NZ TAB, as supplied in the original notes. Prices are subject to change.