TODAY marks the second running of the Zed Cup at the Gawler and Barossa Jockey Club (G&BJC) – 99 years and 363 days after the first running on August 7 1920.
G&BJC CEO Shane Collins said the club came up with the idea after the original cup was returned in recent years, which lead to a whole lot of digging through the history books to unearth records from that very race-day, including the pocket-sized race-book.
“We had the cup kindly donated back to us a few years ago, and it was from a race put together by a gentleman by the name of Vincent Zed,” Collins said.
“Vincent had a horse that year called Early Morn who won the 1920 Gawler Cup, so I’m not sure if he put on the race specifically so his horse could take it out, but it didn’t end up doing so.
“With this being such a significant piece of history for the G&BJC – which at the time was just the Gawler Jockey Club – we thought it’d be great to recognise the cup and run another one 100 years on.”
The original race was contested over 2200 metres, but due to the Gawler track not having a 2200-metre start, the race will run over 2100 metres and will be the highest-rated long-distance race of the day.
Replica 1920 race books will be handed out at the track, which will also be hosting Wolf Blass and his friends – affectionately known as ‘The Rascals’ – as they make their yearly appearance at the G&BJC.
Gates open today at 10.30am.