Rich Hill Stud has joined forces with Entain Australia-New Zealand and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing as principal sponsor of the New Zealand Champion Middle Distance Bonus Series.

Rich Hill, the home of champion New Zealand sire Proisir, is backing a revamped series to reward the country’s top middle-distance performers.

The $500,000 bonus series will open with the running of Wednesday’s rescheduled Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Matamata.

“Our stallions have a long history with these key qualifying races with star gallopers the likes of Xcellent (Pentire), Mufhasa (Pentire), Say No More (Pentire), El Vencedor (Shocking), Legarto (Proisir), La Crique (Vadamos) and Jimmy Choux, who also stood here, enjoying success in them,” Rich Hill’s John Thompson said.

“The Rich Hill Mile is also part of the series so it’s a really good fit for us and we’re obviously keen to continue our support for Entain and New Zealand racing.”

The qualifying races in the series are the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (September 28), the Gr.1  Livamol Classic (October 12), Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (November 5), Gr.3 TAB Mile (November 13), Gr.1 TAB Classic (December 7), Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (December 26), Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (January 1), Gr.1 Team Harcourts Thorndon Mile (January 11), Listed Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (January 25), Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (February 8), Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (February 22) and the Gr.1 Bonecrusher Stakes (March 8).

Points will be allocated to the first four placegetters of each race in the Champion Middle Distance Series, with a bonus pool of $500,000 to be shared among the owners of the three highest point scoring horses at the conclusion of the series.

To be eligible to win or place, a horse must compete in at least one New Zealand Group One race featured in the series.

If two or more horses finish with the same number of points, the relevant bonus amount will be shared. 

First prize based on the bonus allocation will be $300,000, second will receive $150,000 and third place will offer $50,000 with a 10 percent bonus payment from these amounts to be awarded to the trainer.

Following Leg Three on November 5, a leaderboard table will feature after each series race on Trackside TV’s Weigh In show keeping race fans informed of the bonus points tally.