The racing of Thoroughbred horses (or gallopers, as they are also known) is a popular gaming and spectator sport and industry in New Zealand.
History
Thoroughbred horse racing commenced soon after European settlement. The first totalisator machine in the world was installed at Ellerslie Racecourse in 1913, (see Sir George Julius).
Thoroughbred racing with the associated aspects such as horse breeding, training and care, race betting, race-day management and entertainment has gradually developed into an industry worth billions of dollars. The governing body is the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Incorporated.
Race clubs and courses of New Zealand
Thoroughbred racing is held throughout New Zealand, including courses in some of the smaller centres.
Club Course, Town/city/province Track Direction Straight Notes Ashburton RC Ashburton, New Zealand 1876m left-handed 382m Auckland RC Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland 1876m right-handed 382m Avondale JC Avondale Racecourse, Auckland 1800m right-handed 450m Banks Peninsula RC Motukarara, Canterbury 1800m left-handed 400m Beaumont RC Wingatui, Dunedin (since 1987) 2000m left-handed 350m Part of Gallop South Cambridge RC Te Rapa, Hamilton 1800m left-handed 420m NZ's first synthetic track in 2020 Canterbury JC Riccarton Park, Christchurch 2400m left-handed 400m Includes a synthetic track Central Otago RC Omakau 1600m left-handed 300m Part of Gallop South. Formerly the Vincent Jockey Club Counties RC Pukekohe Park, Franklin 1900m right-handed 520m Dargaville RC Awakino Point 1600m left-handed 350m Was 1 meeting per year, in November. Last held in 2016. Egmont RC Hawera 1822mleft-handed 350m Feilding JC Awapuni, Palmerston North 1700m left-handed 350m Part of RACE Foxton RC Previously raced at Foxton, Horowhenua 1811m left-handed349m Trials only. No Raceday meetings being held Gore RC Gore, Southland 1600m left-handed 350m Part of Gallop South Greymouth JC Omoto, West Coast, South Island 1200m left-handed 250m Hawkes Bay Racing Inc Hastings 1700m left-handed 375m Kumara RC Kumara, West Coast 1500m left-handed 300m 1 meeting per year, in January Kurow JC Kurow, North Otago 1600m left-handed 350m 1 meeting per year, late December Levin RC Ōtaki, Horowhenua 1800m left-handed 400m Manawatu RC Awapuni, Palmerston North 1700m left-handed 350m Part of RACE Includes a synthetic track Marlborough RC Waterlea, Blenheim 1700m left-handed 300m Marton JC Awapuni, Palmerston North 1700m left-handed 350m Part of RACE Masterton RC Tauherenikau Racecourse, near Featherston, Wairarapa 1810m left-handed 315m 1 meeting per year, in March Matamata RC Matamata 1628m left-handed 400m Oamaru JC Oamaru, North Otago 1800m left-handed350m Otago RC Wingatui & Cromwell 2000m & 1600m left-handed both 350m both Otaki-Maori RC Ōtaki, Horowhenua 1800m left handed 400m the sole surviving Maori club in New Zealand Pakuranga Hunt Ellerslie Racecourse 1876m right-handed 382m the feature event is the Pakuranga Hunt Steeplechase in August Poverty Bay Turf Club Ashwood Park, Gisborne 1800m left-handed400m Rangitikei RC Awapuni, Palmerston North 1700m left-handed 350m Part of RACE Reefton JC Reefton 1140m left handed 230m the smallest galloping track in New Zealand. 1 meeting in January Riverton RC Riverton, near Invercargill 1650mleft-handed 400m Part of Gallop South Racing Rotorua Arawa Park, Rotorua 1600m left-handed 300m Rotorua & Bay of Plenty Hunt Arawa Park, Rotorua 1600m left-handed 300m 1 meeting per year, held in September South Canterbury RC Phar Lap raceway, Timaru 1800m left-handed 400m South Waikato RC Matamata 1628m left-handed 400m 1 meeting per year, held in March Southland RC Ascot Park, Invercargill 1800m left-handed 215m The southern-most course in New Zealand Stratford RC Te Kapua, Stratford 1600m left-handed 400m 1 meeting per year, held in late December. No meeting from the 2019/20 season on. Tapanui RC Wingatui, Dunedin 2000m left-handed 350m 1 meeting per year, held in December. Part of Gallop South Taranaki Racing Inc New Plymouth 1600m left-handed 375m Taumarunui Arawa Park, Rotorua 1600m left-handed300m 1 meeting per year, held in July Racing Taupo Centennial Park, Taupō 1600m left-handed 320m Part of TRAC Racing Tauranga Tauranga 1800m right-handed 350m Part of TRAC Racing Te Aroha Te Aroha 1900m right-handed 500m Part of TRAC Thames JC Te Aroha 1900m right handed 500m 1 meeting per year, early January. Part of TRAC Waikato RC Te Rapa, Hamilton 1800m left-handed 420m Waikouaiti RC Waikouaiti, 30 km north of Dunedin 1550m left-handed 350m 1 meeting per year, held on New Year's Day Waimate RC From 2020 at Phar Lap, Timaru. Historically at Waimate1800m / (1550m) Left-handed 400m/(250m) 1 meeting per year. Last meeting at Waimate course 9/6/2019 Waipa RC Te Awamutu 1650m Right-handed 300m Waipukurau JC Waipukurau, Central Hawkes Bay 1800m left-handed 450m 2 meetings per year, held in December and March Wairarapa RC Tauherenikau Racecourse, near Featherston, Wairarapa 1810m left-handed 315m Wairio JC Ascot Park, Invercargill 1800m left-handed 215m 1 meeting in May Wairoa RC Te Kupenga 1660m left-handed245m 2 meetings in February Wanganui JC Whanganui 1650m left-handed 325m sand based track Waverley RC Waverley 1800m left-handed 375m Wellington Racing Club Trentham Racecourse, Upper Hutt 2000m left-handed 450m Part of RACE Westland RC Hokitika 1290m right-handed 340m 1 meeting per year, only right handed track in the South Island Whakatane RC Te Teko, Whakatāne 1800m right-handed 420m 2 meetings per year Whangarei RC Ruakaka, 30 km south of Whangārei 1800m right-handed 400m Winton JC Winton and Ascot Park 1786m Left-handed 270m Part of Gallop South Woodville-Pahiatua RC Woodville 1800mleft-handed 375m Wyndham RC Gore, Southland 1600m left-handed 350m 1 meeting per year, held in March
Major thoroughbred horse races in New Zealand
Race Group Type Location Distance Notable winners Proisir Plate 1 Weight for Age Ellerslie Racecourse, previously Hastings 1400m Callsign Mav (2x), Grey Way, Kawi (2x), Melody Belle 2x), Starcraft, Sunline, Well Written Howden Insurance Mile (Arrowfield Park/Windsor Park Plate) 1Weight for Age Hastings 1600mHello Dolly (2x), Kawi, Melody Belle, Miss Potential, Mufhasa, Starcraft, Wall Street Livamol Classic1 Weight for Age Hastings 2040mMelody Belle, Veandercross Hawke's Bay Guineas 2 3YO SW Hastings 1400mBalmerino, Darci Brahma, Mr Tiz, Veandercross New Zealand 2000 Guineas 13YO SW Riccarton Racecourse 1600mSurfers Paradise, New Zealand 1000 Guineas1 3YO Fillies SW Riccarton Racecourse 1600mLegarto, Tycoon Lil New Zealand Cup3 Open HCP Riccarton Racecourse 3200mCuddle, Empire Rose, Fury's Order, Nightmarch Mufhasa Classic (Captain Cook Stakes) 1 Weight for Age Trentham Racecourse 1600mKawi, Mufhasa, Rough HabitWaikato Cup3Open Hcp Te Rapa 2400mThe FilbertAuckland Guineas 23YO SWEllerslie Racecourse1400m Jimmy Choux, Puccini Zabeel Classic1 Weight for Age Ellerslie Racecourse 2000mKawi, Vosne Romanee Telegraph Handicap 1 Weight for Age Trentham Racecourse 1200mDarci Brahma, Mr Tiz, Mufhasa, O'Reilly Levin Classic1 3YO SW Trentham Racecourse 1600mBonecrusher, Imperatriz, O'Reilly, Veandercross Trentham Stakes3 SWP Trentham Racecourse 2100mCastletown, Empire Rose Railway Stakes1 Open SWP Ellerslie Racecourse 1200mAvantage, Imperatriz, Mr Tiz (3x) Karaka Million 2YO R 2YO (Restricted) Ellerslie Racecourse 1200mAvantage, Melody Belle, Probabeel Karaka Million 3YO Classic R 3YO (Restricted) Ellerslie Racecourse 1600mProbabeel, Well Written Aotearoa ClassicL4YO SWEllerslie Racecourse 1600mOrchestral Desert Gold Stakes 3 3YO Fillies SW Trentham Racecourse 1600mLa Mer, Princess Coup Thorndon Mile1 Open SWP Trentham Racecourse 1600mGrey Way, Kawi, McGinty, Melody Belle, Sir Slick Wellington Cup3 Open HCP Trentham Racecourse 3200mBattle Heights, Castletown, Cynisca, Ed, Good Lord, Great Sensation, Il Tempo, Kindergarten, Kiwi Avondale Cup 2 Open Ellerslie Racecourse 2400m Even Stevens, Ginga Dude, Happy Union (2x), St Paul (3x, 1896-1898), Tulloch (4x, 1891-93), Whoshot the Barman BCD Group Sprint (Waikato Sprint)1 Weight for Age Te Rapa 1400m Avantage, Darci Brahma, Imperatriz, Melody Belle, Mr Tiz, Mufhasa, Poetic Prince, Sunline, Veandercross Herbie Dyke Stakes1 Weight for Age Te Rapa 2000m Battle Heights, Bonecrusher, Commissionaire, La Mer, Legarto, Sir Slick, The Phantom, The Phantom Chance Otaki-Maori Weight for Age1 Weight for Age Ōtaki 1600mAvantage, Darci Brahma, Kawi, Melody Belle, Mufhasa, Poetic Prince, Rough Habit, Sir Slick New Zealand Derby 1 3YO SW Ellerslie Racecourse 2400m Balmerino, Bonecrusher, Desert Gold, Gloaming, Jimmy Choux, Kindergarten, Mainbrace, Mongolian Khan, Nightmarch, Silent Achiever, Surfers ParadiseNZB KiwiR 3YO Ellerslie Racecourse1500mDamask Rose, Well Written Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes 1 Weight for Age Ellerslie Racecourse 2000mAvantage, Balmerino, Bonecrusher, La Mer, McGinty, Melody Belle, Ocean Park, Silent Achiever, Solvit, Surfers Paradise Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes/Sistema Stakes1 2YO SW Ellerslie Racecourse 1400mAlamosa Auckland Cup 2 Open SWP Ellerslie Racecourse 3200mApollo Eleven, Beau Vite, Castletown, Cuddle, Il Tempo, Jezabeel, Kindergarten New Zealand Oaks1 3YO Fillies SW Trentham Racecourse 2400mBonneval, La Mer, Princess Coup, Tycoon Lil New Zealand St. LegerL Open SWP (prev 3yo & 3-4yo) Trentham Racecourse 2600mBeau Vite, Dalray, Hail, Kindergarten, Mainbrace, Silver Knight Awapuni Gold Cup2 Open Awapuni 2000mBalmerino, Desert Gold, Grey Way, Horlicks, Kindergarten, La Mer, Mainbrace, Nightmarch, Redcraze, Show Gate Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes 1 2YO SW Awapuni 1400m Avantage, Daryl's Joy, La Mer, Melody Belle Championship Stakes 2 3YO Ellerslie Racecourse 2100mHabibi, Silent Achiever, Wahid Easter Handicap 3 3YO+ Open HCP Ellerslie Racecourse 1600mGrey Way, Kindergarten (2x), Sleepy Fox (4x), Veyron (2x) New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes 1 Weight for Age 3YO+ Fillies & Mares Trentham / Ellerslie / Te Aroha / Te Rapa 1600m Avantage, Imperatriz Auckland Futurity Stakes (Great Northern Foal Stakes)L 2YO Ellerslie Racecourse 1400mMcGinty Great Northern Hurdles P Jumping Hurdles Te Rapa, formerly Ellerslie Racecourse4190m Brockton, Elrey (2x), Just Not Cricket (2x), Loch Linnie (2x), Mr Hickey (2x), Smoke Ring (2x), Solar Mist (2x), The Cossack (2x) Great Northern SteeplechaseP Jumping Steeplechase Te Rapa, formerly Ellerslie Racecourse 6400m Brockton (2x), Brookby Song (2x), Eiffel Tower, Golden Flare (2x), Hunterville (3x), Moifaa, West Coast (2x), Wise Men Say (2x)Grand National HurdlesP Jumping Hurdles Riccarton Racecourse4200mCounter Punch, Crown Star, Eiffel TowerGrand National Steeplechase P Jumping Steeplechase Riccarton Racecourse5600mCrown Star, West Coast DB Draught Classic Weight for Age Ellerslie Racecourse 2100mOnly raced twice (1989 & 1990), both won by Horlicks
Prominent people