Chief Stipe Posted Tuesday at 07:45 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 07:45 PM The Warriors boss, beach beers, and a $4.5m brainchild https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360562635/warriors-boss-beach-beers-and-45m-brainchild Lloyd Burr Jan 29, 2025 •05:00 The genesis of the NZB Kiwi horse race The NZB Kiwi will be the country’s richest sporting event, the southern hemisphere’s richest race for 3-year-old horses, and it’s hoped it’ll rejuvenate the industry. While it’s unashamedly Kiwi, it was dreamed up across the ditch, over a beer at a beach bar, after a boring board meeting by the man who runs The Warriors. Explainer Editor Lloyd Burr has the back story. It’s October 10 2023 and at a bar at the Coogee Beach Crowne Plaza in Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs, Cameron George is drinking a Stella Artois with Lachlan Fitt. George is the boss of The Warriors and chair of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), while Fitt is the local financial boss of global gambling and betting behemoth Entain. The richest horse turf race on the planet - The Everest - is in five days and George, Fitt, and a room full of key New Zealand racing figures have spent the day around a board room table. The goal of the meeting was to come up with a plan to supercharge the industry in New Zealand and broaden its appeal to everyday Kiwis. The meeting had been full of “corporate bullshit” so George and Fitt had retired to the hotel’s bar to decompress. Looking out over the beach and with a few Stellas under their belt, the pair had an epiphany: why don’t we create a similar race in New Zealand and make it the country’s richest sporting event? Warriors boss Cameron George and Entain Australia CFO Lachlan Fitt tell the story of the NZB Kiwi's genesis LAWRENCE SMITH And that’s exactly what the pair went on to create. They talked to the right people, found a sponsor, sorted the rules, and ‘The NZB Kiwi’ was born. With $4.5m on the line for a single race, it’s also the Southern Hemisphere’s richest race for 3-year-old horses. Here’s the story of how The NZB Kiwi came to be, the rules, the participants, and the legacy it hopes to create. The genesis Fast forward to January 2025 and George is no longer chair of NZTR but Fitt’s still in the same role. I meet them at the garden bar of New Zealand Bloodstock’s auction house and stables in Auckland’s Karaka to talk about their brainchild. We’re aptly having a beer like the pair had done at Coogee and despite both being Aussies, their passion for New Zealand’s horse racing industry is evident. They’re keenly watching horses being paraded around for sale in the distance, and sharing pleasantries with passersby in between re-laying the Coogee Beach story. “We could start to smell the salt air looking over the ocean and that's when the brain started working,” says George. “The slot race concept kept coming up and Lachy had a real strong view on how it could look.” “It was incumbent upon New Zealand Thoroughbred racing to change and innovate, be brave, and do stuff differently to try and ignite the whole industry again,” says George.”I was sick and tired of just going from year to year, trying to work out how to survive rather than grow.” “We had a few beers and the more I got my head around it, the more excited I got. We needed a solid partner and so I got a few more beers into him and we got a few more dollars out of him and it started to develop,” he says with his trademark grin, looking across to Fitt. “The Everest was part of the inspiration of the whole thing and the excitement it's brought to Australia. It was really how do we replicate that in New Zealand and get something that cuts through to the mainstream that a non-racing fan might engage in,” says Fitt. NZB Kiwi horse race founders Cameron George and Lachlan Fitt pictured in Karaka, Auckland. LAWRENCE SMITH / LAWRENCE SMITH New Zealand-bred horses have long been over-achievers in Australia, winning 21.2% of all group one races there but only making up 7.9% of the population. The pair say it’s time they were put in the spotlight on home soil. “It was important we kept it a really unique Kiwi born and bred, right from the eligibility criteria to the name of the race, and to our partner in New Zealand bloodstock,” says George. “I genuinely believe that the bloodstock industry here is the best in the world.” The politics Racing has long been at the mercy of politicians - some wanting to boost and bolster the industry, others wanting to dismantle it altogether on animal rights or gambling grounds. One of the most passionate is current Minister of Racing Winston Peters. He’s held it twice before - once under Helen Clark and again under Jacinda Ardern. His New Zealand First party always has a racing policy at elections too - in 2020 he vowed to “make racing great again”. Four years later, when the NZB Kiwi was launched, the re-ministered Peters told the audience “everyone here wants New Zealand racing to get its mojo back”. But not greyhound racing, which Peters banned in a shock announcement last month. Winston Peters at the 2013 Riverton Racing Club Easter Carnival DOUG FIELD The name While calling it the ‘Kiwi’ might seem obvious, it wasn’t the only one considered - although George and Fitt can’t remember the others that were in the mix. “There were a few names thrown around, weren’t there?,” says Fitt. “I can't actually remember what the first version of it was,” says George. “There were some crazy ones but when you look at it, what it stands for and what you have to be to be in the race horse-wise, it makes a lot of sense to call it The Kiwi.” The ‘NZB’ part of the name comes from the sponsorship by New Zealand Bloodstock, which has been part of the industry since the beginning and is owned by racing royalty Sir Peter Vela. “New Zealand Bloodstock - it took just 20 seconds to think of them,” says George. “And I think it took them 20 seconds to respond and say ‘yeah, it makes sense’.” Sir Peter’s daughter Petrea Vela also works at NZB and says the race concept had great appeal to them because it would reach new audiences and bring in new fans. “It also shows that we can put on racing events that match any racing jurisdiction in the world. We are so passionate about the New Zealand industry and it produces thoroughbred horses that are amongst the best in the world. We punch above our weight in this sport,” she says. The NZB Kiwi branding NZTR The race and the venue The NZB Kiwi is New Zealand’s first thoroughbred slot race, whereby 14 entry slots were purchased by people, companies, or clubs last year (more on this further down). It’ll be held on March 8 and 14 horses will compete over a distance of 1500m - less than Ellerslie Racecourse’s 1900m track circumference. The ground is known as New Zealand’s home of racing. “People refer to us as the headquarters,” says Auckland Thoroughbred Racing CEO Paul Wilcox. “It's a place where owners love to win a race. It's on the big stage, it's well regarded throughout the world. The excitement that Ellerslie can bring is absolutely outstanding.” March 8 was chosen because it’s also Champions Day. There’ll be the Trackside New Zealand Derby and the historic Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup raced ahead of The NZB Kiwi. All up, there’s nearly $10m in winnings up for grabs on the day. Ellerslie’s track has just been through a major $55m renovation with the entire surface replaced with a new StrathAyr substrate and turf. The track was dug up, with soil and shallow rock removed. Layers of clay, drainage pipes, gravel, sand, and a special cushioned growing medium were laid and grass grown on top. There are two new underpasses as well. “The great thing about the surface we've now got here is that we're removing one of those variables: weather. Obviously rain can impact so many different outdoor sporting events but with us, the rain doesn't affect us now,” says Wilcox. It did have a few teething issues last year when horses lost their footing on the new turf - called slipping - which saw a number of events cancelled or transferred to other sites. It underwent remedial work to remove a particular type of grass and has been given the all clear. Ellerslie isn’t guaranteed to host the event every year - with both George and Fitt open to the idea of it being auctioned off or shared around other tracks across the country. Paul Wilcox looks out at the new $55m turf at Ellerslie Racecourse LAWRENCE SMITH / LAWRENCE SMITH The rules The full rules, terms, and conditions are rather dense but here are the basics. The NZB Kiwi is what’s dubbed a ‘3YO race’ or a three-year-old horse race. This means only horses in their third year of life can be entered into it. Horses must be colts (uncastrated males under the age of four), geldings (castrated males), or fillies (females under the age of four). Why age three? It’s the time in a horse’s life where they’re in the midst of transitioning from being a juvenile into an adult. They’re essentially going through puberty - they’re young, fast and generally well adapted to racing - which makes for an exciting race. Some of the world’s biggest races - like the Kentucky Derby - are exclusively 3YO races but slot races rarely are. “That was a great difference,” says Fitt. “The 3YO element of it is another difference to slot races globally, which are generally open slather races”. Because The NZB Kiwi is designed to showcase New Zealand’s world-class breeding industry, there are a number of nationality breeding rules. Horses must be either born in New Zealand, bred in New Zealand, conceived in New Zealand, or sold at an auction run by NZ Bloodstock. This means overseas-based horses can participate as long as they meet one of those criteria. The participants Nine of the 14 slots went up for auction on Feb 27 last year, with a reserve price of $450,000. But the bids far exceeded that, with an average of $691,667. The remaining five slots were offered to New Zealand clubs who are hosting bonus races under first right of refusal rules. These went for $450,000. Slot ownership lasts for three years and they’ll be up for auction again for the 2028 iteration of The NZB Kiwi. Of the 14 slots, only seven have confirmed which horses will contest the race. Slot holders have until 10am on Monday March 3 to confirm their horses and their positions at the starting barrier will be drawn from a ballot on 4 March. The prize money The prize pool totals $4.5m, of which $3.5m is awarded based on the main race at Ellerslie on March 8. It’s broken down like this: 1st: $1.2m 2nd: $575k 3rd: $375k 4th: $250k 5th: $200k 6th-14th: $100k each The remaining $1m is allocated based on the results in 10 bonus races, and there’s another $175k available in bonus challenges. Theoretically, the winner of The NZB Kiwi could take home $1.9m if all the planets align over the course of the bonus races, the bonus challenges, and The NZB Kiwi race. Cambridge Stud owner Brendan Lindsay owns a slot in the NZB Kiwi LAWRENCE SMITH The World Pool It’ll be part of the World Pool group of 84 races allowing people living in 25 member countries to bet on the race. This reach means a lot more money comes in from gamblers around the world, and it gives The NZB Kiwi a prominent platform on the global stage to grow from. It also puts the spotlight on New Zealand’s racing industry. The significance Creating an entirely new race from scratch and seeing it through to fruition is not easy, especially in a racing landscape like New Zealand’s which has been stubbornly dry for new shoots. But despite that, the race has managed to gain traction and gather momentum. “Personally, I think it'll be the biggest thing in racing that we've seen for many, many years if not ever in New Zealand,” says George. “It's got all the ingredients, like any sport, to be something extremely competitive on a global stage that brings them all back to New Zealand.” “This will be the quickest money grab, and the richest money grab in sport in New Zealand, and we want people from all around the country to tune in, watch it, and want to be a part of it, either participating or just attending,” he says. Without TAB’s partnership with Entain and without Entain’s deep pockets, George doubts the race would ever have come to fruition, and Fitt agrees. “Entain have invested heavily and it's something we as an organisation believe in. New Zealand has a great setup in terms of the industry and has great foundations there but it had lost its way a little bit.” “The certainty of funding for 5 years and the investment Entain is making is starting to pay dividends. We're seeing some really good momentum now,” says Fitt. Cameron George and Lachlan Fitt watch the preparations ahead of the Karaka sales. LAWRENCE SMITH / LAWRENCE SMITH The future The Melbourne Cup is known as ‘the race that stops a nation’ and the hype that surrounds that in New Zealand (fashion, a fancy day out, office sweepstakes, betting, live broadcast interruptions etc) is what The NZB Kiwi wants to replicate. “There is that inspiration of a nation being focused on it and getting drawn into our great sport. Hopefully it draws them in and we can keep them in, in a broader sense, longer term,” says Fitt. It’s in the TAB and Entain’s best interests to dramatically grow the racing audience because it translates into more people gambling on races in the long term, and hence higher revenues. “We've really tried to focus heavily on how we bring those audiences through and having the funnel as wide as possible at the top, getting as many people engaged. “Whether it be once a year, twice a year, or every week, it doesn't really matter. It's more that you are engaged in racing.” Wilcox shares the sentiment. “I expect 20 years' time, gee whiz, it could be massive. I believe it's going to be firmly entrenched in the New Zealand racing calendar and it'll be one of the hottest tickets around in town,” says Wilcox. - Stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted Tuesday at 08:42 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 08:42 PM They have literally copied off a concept from Australia (Everest) , like most things our industry does. They are now tabling themselves as genius for doing that ... ??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted Tuesday at 09:27 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 09:27 PM 1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said: “The great thing about the surface we've now got here is that we're removing one of those variables: weather. Obviously rain can impact so many different outdoor sporting events but with us, the rain doesn't affect us now,” says Wilcox. Has it been tested after heavy rainfall yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Fish Posted Tuesday at 09:59 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 09:59 PM 2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said: the rain doesn't affect us now,” says Wilcox. pardon! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted Tuesday at 10:04 PM Author Share Posted Tuesday at 10:04 PM 2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said: “The great thing about the surface we've now got here is that we're removing one of those variables: weather. Obviously rain can impact so many different outdoor sporting events but with us, the rain doesn't affect us now,” says Wilcox. It did have a few teething issues last year when horses lost their footing on the new turf - called slipping - which saw a number of events cancelled or transferred to other sites. It underwent remedial work to remove a particular type of grass and has been given the all clear. Really! When a horse loses its footing it is called "slipping"! Who would have thought! No mention of the issues with the track hardness! In my opinion they stil have issues from the 600 to the 350m and the primary cause is the camber but magnified by the turf structure. Jockeys aren't stupid nor take unnecessary risks. My observation (which may well be wrong) is that they don't push hard out wide but wait until straightening. Those who get to the front stack those behind up because they know nothing is going to come wide. Then it becomes a 350m sprint up the straight. I have heard many reports of horses becoming unbalanced and wobbling round the turn. The ground becomes shifty underneath the horses. My theory is that the artificial mechanical method of softening the track - vertidraining and tyning creates small patches of turf that move on top of the sand. The mechanical intervention is to break up the grass root layer that seems to grow more laterally than downwards so the tyning may allow a horse to get their hoof into the sand but at the expensive of creating small patches of turf that floats on top of the sand. Perhaps the change in grass variety has fixed that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted Tuesday at 10:05 PM Author Share Posted Tuesday at 10:05 PM 1 hour ago, Huey said: They have literally copied off a concept from Australia (Everest) , like most things our industry does. They are now tabling themselves as genius for doing that ... ??? Shame they decided to customise a StrathAyr instead of copying the best in Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted Tuesday at 10:39 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 10:39 PM the rain doesn't affect us now,” says Wilcox. Famous last words , take NZ weather on at your peril! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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