The first Adelaide Cup was raced on 21 April 1864 at Thebarton Racecourse, where Mile End is today.
[3] In 1869 the Autumn meeting returned to "the Old Course" (Victoria Park Racecourse) where the Cup was run[4] as a handicap race over two miles.
[7] In 1980 due to renovation of Morphettville Racecourse the race was run at Victoria Park Racecourse and in 2000 the Cup race day was abandoned due to rain and was rescheduled later and also run at Victoria Park.
The day received public holiday status in 1973 and became a major social event in South Australia.
[8] In the decade since the move of the Adelaide Cup to March, attendance has fallen to a third of previous levels, seeing 10,500 people trackside in 2015.
[8] ‡ Race held at Flemington, Victoria after financial collapse of the SAJC which followed the Totalizator Repeal Act 1883.