Chief Stipe

Enhancements Announced for 2025 New Zealand Cup Week - NZTR nztr.co.nz 2024 Group 1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas® (1600m) winner, Captured by Love. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and the Canterbury Jockey Club (CJC) have unveiled a series of enhancements to this year’s New Zealand Cup Meeting, with significant prizemoney boosts and a refreshed race programme set to elevate the South Island's marquee Spring racing carnival. From November, each of the three feature races will carry an additional $50,000 in stakes. The Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai 53rd New Zealand 2000 Guineas® (1600m) will now be run for $700,000, the Group 1 Barneswood Farm 53rd New Zealand 1000 Guineas® (1600m) will rise to $600,000, and the Group 3 162nd New Zealand Cup (3200m) is now worth $450,000. NZTR Chief Executive Officer Matt Ballesty said the enhancements reflected the importance of Cup Week on New Zealand’s racing calendar. “The New Zealand Cup Meeting is one of the country’s most important and recognisable racing carnivals, attracting both national and international attention and providing excellent exposure for our sport.” “NZTR is pleased to support the Canterbury Jockey Club with these increases, which strengthen the quality and appeal of the week’s flagship events,” Ballesty said. Alongside the prizemoney increases, the New Zealand Pattern Committee has approved a change to the programme that will see the order of the Guineas races reversed. The New Zealand 1000 Guineas® will now open the carnival on Saturday 8 November, while New Zealand 2000 Guineas® will be staged at the New Zealand Cup Day meeting on Saturday 15 November. NZTR’s Senior Handicapper Bruce Sherwin commented on the rationale for the swap. “This adjustment has been made to allow a greater chance for a top filly to back up in the 2000 Guineas, while also aligning the race more logically with its key lead-up, the Group 2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial [1400m], which will now be 19 days prior rather than the current period of 12 days.” “A flow-on effect from this change will see the Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes [1400m] move one week earlier to Saturday 18 October, maintaining the traditional three-week lead-in to the 1000 Guineas.” “Both the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas are also Bonus Eligible races for the NZB Kiwi, offering added incentives for owners and trainers to target Riccarton Park’s premier fixtures,” Sherwin said. The winner of the 2025 New Zealand 2000 Guineas® will have the first right to negotiate with the CJC for use of its slot in the 2026 $4,000,000 NZB Kiwi (1500m), the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race. If that opportunity is not taken up, the New Zealand 1000 Guineas® winner will be offered the second option to negotiate with the Club. To further support participation, the CJC will again offer its travel incentive scheme for horses flying to Christchurch to contest Cup Week’s feature races. The scheme provides financial assistance through subsidised air transport, helping leading contenders from across New Zealand compete on the Riccarton Park stage. CJC Chief Executive Officer Bruce Sherwin said the changes build on the momentum and appeal of the carnival. “Cup Week is a cornerstone of New Zealand racing, drawing top-quality horses, trainers and jockeys from across the country.” “These enhancements, both in prizemoney and programming, will add even more excitement for participants and racegoers, and further cement Riccarton Park as a must-visit venue during November.” “We look forward to hosting another outstanding week of racing, fashion and entertainment in 2025," he said. The New Zealand Cup Meeting will run from Saturday 8 November to Saturday 15 November 2025, with Riccarton Park hosting three spectacular days of racing alongside Christchurch’s wider festival of sport, entertainment and fashion.

Don't you see the contradiction? Your free market win at all costs punting funds your benevolent non-competitive social good. I'm the opposite I want any horse I own to win as much as it can and only have a wager for entertainment. The latter probably funds your wagering winnings although I only bet on the NZTAB so probably not.

So you want the rest of us to fund your hobby? One I might add where you are happy to race a horse that wins one race in 20.

Didn't help when successive Labour Governments made the cost of the inputs to manufacturing so expensive or unattainable. Perhaps but what business gives their product for no cost to someone else to make money out of? Easy to set a "competitive price" when you aren't paying the true cost of the product. Even in free markets there are rules against that.

But you said you "are not here to fund NZ Racing".

Often the best 2yr old hasn't been eligible for the KM. For example Imperatriz. Since her year it has got even tougher for those not eligible for the KM to win the Grp 1's as the pattern is focussed on the Sweepstake and Slot races. All roads lead to Ellerslie and that track surface doesn't suit all horses nor does drawing wide. I doubt that it ever will be a fair track. Which ones ended up in the bush in Australia?

So you'd prefer Slot or Sweepstake races funded by participants?

But more profitable.

So if you back Argentina you are getting betting odds than 2/1.

Have you taken up cycling? Woops that Spandex. Who do you think most New Zealanders are backing? Even at $1.30 I imagine it represents a big loss when the AB's win. Does the "big difference" also apply to the other side of the bet? What is Argentina paying on Spandex? $3.40 on TABNZ.

Agree. Alternatives to stands. People don't mind marques when it suits. I think power and broadcast facilities need upgrading. But I suspect that the Avondale track wouldn't sustain much racing before problems manifested themselves. I doubt much maintenance has been done during the racing hiatus.

Well that didn't count last year. On a points basis used by NZB Filly of the Year Captured By Love won easily but didn't score a Grp 1 as a 2yr old. The fact is the voters are an eclectic bunch and base their choices on opinion rather than science.

Well you would think an ex-Attorney General Chris Finlayson KC would have given appropriate advice. However it seems the argument that is puzzling the Judge is what is it exactly they are hoping to gain by an injunction/interim relief. Especially since the ban is not yet in place. They could argue that the ban is affecting decision making now by Greyhound stakeholders and that they propose to argue in court against the actual ban. But at the end of the day when the Government makes a decision it is very hard to overturn it. Yes. Although some democracies have other checks and balances such as a Human Rights Act with teeth and an Upper House. All we have really is the Governor General!

Very hard to over turn a Paliamentary decision in the courts. At the end of the day Parliament sets the laws and the courts interpret and enforce them. There are few if any checks and balances in the NZ system.

Really? That's surprising coming from the Chief Cynic. I gather the KM was a quality field?

Does the boss know you spend so much time online while at work?

Close - Last Dorada perhaps just crosses the line first. KM and a Grp 1. Not much between them.

There you go only another kilo and he'll be back up on all those age group horses.

If you are referring to me that isn't what I said. Now you're just being an idiot or worse. Or perhaps someone whose cynicism doesn't allow them know much at all. Any owner or trainer with a talented horse that is good enough would be doing themselves and the industry a disservice by not targeting a black type race in OZ.

What's Opies?

Especially if you aren't eligible for the Slot Race or the KM. All roads lead to Ellerslie but not all the horses can go there for eligibility and track suitability reasons.

Some went just south down the road about 20km to Byerley Park. About 7 or 8 trainers there.

Yes I would have thought @Huey with his extensive knowledge and opinions on NZ Racing would have known that already. Perhaps his office trainee needs to put another column in the spreadsheet.

Well that's the problem when you start quoting Equity figures as a sign that all is well when it isn't. They have an operating loss primarily driven by finance costs. That isn't financially healthy long term is it? Make it profitable or sell it before there is no equity left. Why does it matter? They played for the Crusaders end of story. What's more they WANTED to play for the Crusaders. Why? To advance their careers as much as possible. None of them went to Secondary School in Auckland either.

The equity in 2021 was $128.5m. So between then and 2024 $34.5m in equity has been lost! Enough to probably pay ENTAIN's upcoming AUSTRAC fine! So seems to more dive than dip. Even if they sold Pukekohe for $70m they'd still be owing $10m in debt.