Held during the third week of November, the 1600 meter (1 mile or 8 furlongs) race on turf is open to horses age three and older.
Due to repairs to the racecourse, the 1997 race had to be run at a distance of 1800 meters.
The Coronation Cup was inaugurated in 1985 to commemorate the installation of Azlan Shah as the Sultan of Perak.
W. K. Seow won the Coronation Cup as a jockey in 1987 then ten years later as a trainer.
In 2000, Catherine Treymane became the first female jockey to win the race.