Excitement is building for the future of New Zealand racing as a groundbreaking collaboration between New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, TAB New Zealand, and Entain leads to the launch of the Southern Hemisphere’s most lucrative three-year-old race – The NZB Kiwi.
Sponsored by New Zealand Bloodstock, this inaugural thoroughbred slot race is set to headline a significant overhaul of the NZ summer racing calendar.
The NZB Kiwi takes centre stage as a major highlight within the newly established ‘Champions Day,’ boasting over NZ$9 million in total prizemoney in its first year, with a projected increase to NZ$10 million in the second year.
The event, held on the second Saturday of March at Ellerslie Racecourse, becomes a pinnacle in NZ’s racing calendar, featuring the New Zealand Derby and three other iconic Group 1 races.
Champions Day is part of an ambitious revamp of the summer thoroughbred racing calendar, presenting a series of world-class races and meetings with more than NZ$23.8 million in stakes across 51 black-type races from January to early April.
Cameron George, NZTR Chairman, envisions the revamped Summer Carnival attracting the finest horses and jockeys from New Zealand and Australia, marking a monumental phase of growth for the industry.
The highlight of the summer program, The NZB Kiwi, a new three-year-old 1500-metre slot race, is poised to be the richest race ever held in New Zealand, carrying black-type status. With fourteen slots available to graduates of NZB Sales and horses bred in NZ, the race becomes a true destination event for star Kiwi-bred horses globally.
NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook expresses enthusiasm for being part of the country’s richest-ever race, stating, “We loved the concept and the direction that racing is heading in at the moment.” The race will carry prizemoney of at least NZ$3.5 million in 2025, escalating to NZ$4.5 million by 2027, solidifying its status as the Southern Hemisphere’s premier race for three-year-olds.
An additional NZ$1 million in bonuses annually will be available to the three placegetters of The NZB Kiwi, further enhancing the allure of the race. Bruce Sharrock, NZTR Chief Executive Officer, acknowledges the global reputation of the NZ industr.
“The NZB Kiwi gives the cream of the New Zealand-bred crop a chance to return home and take on the best locally trained horses for what will effectively be a world championship,” said Sharrock.
Lachlan Fitt, CFO and Deputy CEO of Entain Australia and New Zealand, comments on the strategic placement of The NZB Kiwi in NZ’s summer racing calendar, anticipating intense competition among slot-holders. The new-look summer program also introduces a two-day Karaka Millions Carnival, enhancing the famous NZB National Yearling Sales Series.
The Group 1 Railway, now part of a Super Sprint Series, offers a NZ$500,000 bonus for exceptional performance across three NZ legs, along with soon-to-be-named races in Australia during the Autumn Carnival.
The revised summer racing program, shaped by collaborative efforts, is poised to inject over NZ$9 million in stakes and bonuses in 2025, escalating to an additional NZ$12.7 million by 2026, marking a transformative period from December 26, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
Nick Roberts, TAB NZ Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the TAB NZ Dates Committee, emphasizes the collaborative efforts that have led to this game-changing announcement, highlighting the critical role of the new racing calendar in ensuring the growth and sustainability of the domestic industry.
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