19 Next Gen eligible weanlings/yearlings up for sale

[Wandering Eyes]

More than a fifth of the horses going under the hammer at Karaka on Thursday, June 26 will be Next Gen eligible.

Harness Racing New Zealand’s ownership model premiered at this year’s NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales at Karaka and Christchurch. It was a big success with 56 Next Gen-sired yearlings being sold.

Off the back of that HRNZ extended the scheme to the NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale as well.

Of the 89 lots up for sale a total of 19 are from Next Gen stallions.

The stallions and lot numbers are as follows :

Dancinginginthedark M  (Lot 1065)
E L Titan   (Lot 1040, 1088)
King of the North – (Lots 1012, 1036, 1071)
Pebble Beach – (Lots 1003, 1035, 1038)
Perfect Sting – (Lots 1004, 1016, 1020, 1028 and 1032)  
Ride High – (1060)
Face Time Bourbon (Lot 1085)
Ecurie D – (Lots 1083, 1084 and 1087)

One yearling (Lot 1082) will also be eligible as his sire Captain Crunch was Next Gen eligible at this year’s National Yearling Sales in February.

It’s important to note though they you don’t have to buy one of the 19 horses to get involved in Next Gen. It is one of three criteria.

The other two are :

Buy any weanling/yearling from the sales and have an ownership group that comprises of at least four people, where the horse is owned 30% or more by people who are born after 1985 or have never previously been registered HRNZ owners.

or

Buy any weanling/yearling from the sales and have it trained by someone who has not trained a Group 1 winner (as of January 1, 2026)

Weanlings/yearlings sold at that sale will be eligible for a range of two-year-old bonuses in 2027 as long as they met those Next Gen criteria.

They will be eligible for the three Harness Million races – Colts and Geldings, Fillies and Trotters if paid into the series.

A $50,000 bonus ($35,000 will go to the owner, $10,000 to the trainer and $5000 to the breeder) will be awarded to the first Next Gen eligible horse across the line in each of those three races.

A $5000 2YO Second Start bonus ($4000 to the owner, $1000 to the trainer) will also be awarded to any Next Gen eligible horses that have two race day starts during their 2YO season.

This will be capped at 90 horses, with a total payout of $450,000 per year.

To see more about Next Gen click here : https://www.hrnz.co.nz/next-gen-2/

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