Saturday’s Vodafone New Zealand Derby will be simulcast for betting into Hong Kong for the first time since 2014.  The coverage of the race in Hong Kong not only provides a fabulous opportunity to showcase our three-year-olds, but also allows the New Zealand industry to benefit from the wagering undertaken by Hong Kong’s large and passionate racing market.

The last time the race was taken by Hong Kong wagering totalled HK$11.3m.  To put this into perspective, that related to around NZ$2m at that time, or the equivalent of two Thursday race meetings.  That value to our local industry cannot be overlooked.

The decision to take the race is based on NZTR’s association with the Asian Racing Federation and the role Board member Bruce Sherwin has played the on-going development of this relationship.

English language coverage of the NZ Derby in Hong Kong will be provided by Kiwis Tom Wood and Paul Lally, whose familiarity with the New Zealand scene will be an advantage for those watching and betting into the race in Hong Kong. 

There will also be a strong ownership interest in the race in Hong Kong, with Hong Kong-domiciled Matthew Fenwick having bred the Murray Baker/Andrew Forsman trained White Noise.  The El Roca gelding races under the ownership of Fenwick, his father former NZTR CEO Allan, brother Logan and a syndicate which also includes Hong Kong based Darryl Anderson.

This year’s NZ Vodafone Derby will also act as something of a curtain raiser to the 2022 Karaka Yearling sales which, thanks to the impact of Covid, will run from Monday 7 March until Saturday 12 March. The recent removal of the need to isolate means the ranks of purchasers may well swell as Kiwis based offshore take advantage of the change in regulations to head to Karaka.

NZTR Board members

The NZTR Members’ Council announced two new Board members earlier this week to fill the vacancies left by the departure of Darryll Park and Bruce Sharrock.

The new Board members are Andrew Flexman and Dean Lawrence, who bring a broad range of experience and knowledge.  NZTR Members’ Council Chair Paul Humphries said they were looking forward to them making a positive contribution both to the Board and thoroughbred racing.