International Racing News

New Zealand Racing

Standard Information

Racing on Sky: 7 days/afternoon per week
Time Difference: -2 hours AEDT -2 Hours AEST
Racing Start Times: 10.00am onwards throughout the day and afternoon
Codes: Thoroughbreds, Harness & Greyhounds

Fast Facts

There are 353 race meetings and 3,079 races programmed for the year 1 August 2011-31 July 2012.
From 1 March 2012 New Zealand races thoroughbreds (NZ also conducts harness races and greyhound races) on every day of the week but, on Tuesdays and Sundays, only during the Summer months.
Average field size is 11 runners.
Average starts per horse was 5.7
Percentage winners to runners was 36.0
Average race distance was 1610m
Average prize money per race was $15,685
New Zealand races on turf only
There are 140 Group and listed races (flat) and 22 Prestige Jumping races in New Zealand.
The largest individual Stake in the 2010-11 season was NZ$2,018,000 for the Telecom NZ Derby.
The main races in New Zealand are the Telecom NZ Derby, 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas, Oaks, Auckland Cup, and the New Zealand Cup
There are 51 racecourses used for thoroughbred racing in New Zealand.
There are 116 licensed Jockeys, 50 Apprentices and 52 Amateur Riders in New Zealand.
There are 7,896 Mares Registered, 162 Stallions registered, 4,154 foals bred last breeding season and 1,596 Thoroughbreds exported last season.
Horses are loaded based on the individual behaviour of the horses. For a field of 14, horses will be loaded from barrier 1 and 14 working from the barriers furthest from the middle and moving inwards. Horses that are difficult to load will be loaded last with either the assistance of the barrier attendants or blindfolded.
Horses are scratched at the barrier at the discretion of the clerk of course. A horse will usually be given 2 chances to be loaded, in the event that it cannot be loaded after 2 attempts, the Clerk of Course will give instruction to the Starter for the horse to be scratched. The starter is stationed beside the barrier looking down the field of horses being loaded in the barrier gates.

Jockey Profiles

Link to Jockey profiles on the NZ Racing Website

Trainer Profiles

Link to Trainer profiles on the NZ Racing Website

Local Racing News

Link to local racing news on the NZ Racing Website

Hall of Fame

Link to the New Zealand Racing Hall Of Fame website.

Track Maps

Arawa Park	Ascot Park	Ashburton
Avondale Avondale is a 1800m right handed track with a 450m straight. Those drawn out wide in big fields at 800m, 1200m and 2000m need early acceleration to have a chance of making the placings.	Awakino Point	Awapuni There are grass, sand, plough and two year old tracks and provision is also made for the education of Jumpers.
Cambridge No images available.	Cromwell	Ellerslie Ellerslie is a 1876m right handed track with a 382m straight.
Foxton Foxton is a 1811 metre track with a 350 metre straight. Sandy loam soil which drains quickly. There are three other grass training tracks and and also three ploughs and exercise oval for jumps qualifying. Handy to Foxton beach ideal change in scenery for horses in training.	Gore	Hastings
Hawera	Hokitika The track is the only right-handed track in the South Island and is 1290 metres in circumference with a 340 metre straight.	Kumara

Kurow	Makaraka	Matamata
Motukarara	Oamaru	Omakau
Omoto	Otaki Otaki is a 1800m left handed track with a 400m straight. At 800m, 1000m and 1200m points, outside draws a disadvantage. At 1600m and 2000m mid-field draws ok; 1400m and 2200m, good run to first bend and horses can win from wide draws.	Paeroa Paeroa is a 1825m right handed track with a 400m straight. We have 10 live steeple fences made of bamboo with the final fence in the home straight being the only one that is not live. Flat race distances range from 1150m to 2200m and hurdling and steeplechase distances range from 2950 to 4800m.
Phar Lap Raceway Washkyke is a 1800m left handed track with a 400m straight. Inside draws nos 1 to 9 have the edge at 1200m and 1600m but 2100m not affected.	Pukekohe Park A 15 metre wide, all-weather track has become a welcome addition to our training facility.	Pukekura Raceway It is a 1600m left handed track with a 375m straight.
Reefton Reefton is a 1150m left handed track with a 230m straight. Most have their chances at all distances. The track has a circumference of 1140 metres and a straight of 140 metres which makes it the smallest course in New Zealand for galloping meetings.	Riccarton Park	Riverton The track is spacious with a long finishing straight and all runners having an even chance.
Ruakaka The racing surface has a well-earned reputation as New Zealand's finest 'all weather' track.	Tauherenikau Tauherenikau is a 1800m left handed track with a 350m straight. Turning sort of track that favours those well drawn with early speed.	Taupo Taupo is a 1475m left handed track with a 250m straight. This is a turning track where it is important to draw close at all starting points except at the 2100m which provides a good run to the first bend. Taupo track is renowned for its ability to provide a consistent galloping surface.
Tauranga Tauranga is a 1700m right handed track with a 400m straight. At the 950m start an inside draw is a must, all other starts a draw inside 10 is preferable but not vital as fields are restricted to 15 starters.	Te Aroha Te Aroha is a 1900m right handed track with a 500m straight. Big roomy track where there is no real advantage to drawing in close.	Te Awamutu
Te Kapua Racecourse	Te Kupenga	Te Rapa Te Rapa is a symmetrical left-handed track with a circumference of 1788 metres. The straights are 402.34 metres long, the bends are 491.66 metres, and the width is 30 metres. The straight length to the winning post is 386.36 metres. Facilities for the 90 horses trained on the track each month include one sand, one plough, and two grass training tracks. The main track is not used for training purposes. Well drained track that does not become too heavy. Inside draw a distinct advantage at the 1000m start. Best to draw inside barrier 6 at the 1200m. All other starting points wide draws can be overcome.
Te Teko	Thames	Trentham Trentham is a 2000m left handed track with a 450m straight. Inside draws have a slight advantage at all starting points unless the track is heavy, then outside draws play a major part.
Waikouaiti	Waimate	Waipukurau
Wanganui The racing surface is a sand-based 1700 metre track offering a very good year-round racing surface.	Waterlea Waterlea is a 1600m left handed track with a 350m straight. When track good, all runners get their opportunity. However on wet tracks, draws further out than no 3 preferable. The Waterlea Racecourse grass track is over 1600 m in distance and because of its unusual (triangular) shape has only 3 approved starting distances. These are 1000m, 1400m, & 1950m	Waverley
Wingatui	Winton No images available. The track is 1600 metres, and as such tends to favour horses who race up with the pace.	Woodville Woodville is a 1806m left handed track with a 375m straight. Horse drawn inside of mid-field have advantage. Being handily placed at straight entrance is a top priority.
Wyndham