Riccarton Park will come to life over the next week, with three electric days of thoroughbred racing action in the New Zealand Cup Carnival.

A highlight in the calendar for Cantabrians, the week will kick off on Saturday, 8th of November, with the Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas Day. A switch-up from last year, the $600,000 Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 53rd New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) now features on day one, giving fillies more of an opportunity to back up seven days later in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).

As they do each year, the northern raiders have come in force, with Waikato-trained fillies Well Written, Lollapalooza, Little Black Dress, Belle Cheval and Cream Tart all featuring in a competitive market. The southerners will be represented by Miss Starlight and Miss Ziggy, while Te Akau has based several of their hopes at Riccarton this spring.

The undercard is stacked with feature racing, with the key lead-up to the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m), the $100,000 Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2600m), alongside the $120,000 Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders Stakes (1400m) and $90,000 Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes (1000m).

Our domestic jockey ranks will be boosted by Kiwi-expat Rory Hutchings and star Victorian apprentice Logan Bates, the latter riding against his mother Kylie Williams for the first time on raceday.

Successful Kiwi music duo SACHI will round off a wonderful day of entertainment trackside on day one, performing after the last with just a $25.50pp GA ticket all you need to attend. Member’s Areas are still available to purchase for $50, while an additional $45 is offered for the Member’s Areas Raceday Bundle with a buffet luncheon included.

The carnival rolls straight into an always-popular TAB Mile Day on Wednesday, 12th of November. Headlined by the $250,000 Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m), the middle day features competitive age-group racing, including $65,000 races for the two-year-olds and three-year-olds.

The final field for the mile will come out on Monday, but nominations are strong for the locals, with flying Terri Rae-trained stablemates Spot On Time and Sir Albert taking on the likes of Churchillian, Cannon Hill, Matscot and defending champion Kopua.

An all-ages event, tickets are flying out the door for TAB Mile Day, with GA ($20pp including The Grand Tour), Member’s Area (Final Release for $55pp), and The Promenade Hospitality ($290pp from 1pm) still available.

Cup Week is truly at its peak on the final day, the Martin Collins New Zealand Cup and Al Basti Equiworld Dubai 2000 Guineas Day on Saturday, 15th of November.

 

The three-year-old colts and geldings come into play in the $700,000 Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai 2000 Guineas (1600m), which like the fillies race, has been won by some outstanding gallopers including Savaglee, Crocetti and Pier in recent times.

Affirmative Action made a statement winning at Ellerslie on Melbourne Cup Day and currently holds favouritism, but has a task on his hands with top fillies Tajana and To Cap It All, alongside recent stakes winners Swiss Prince and Magic Carpet. Riccarton galloper Alottago hasn’t put a foot wrong this preparation and will have the local crowd in his corner.

The winner of the 2000 Guineas will have the first right to negotiate with the Canterbury Jockey Club for use of its slot in the 2026 $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race. If that opportunity is not taken up, the 1000 Guineas winner will be offered the second option to negotiate with the Club.

The stayers will face their ultimate test of endurance in the $450,000 Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m), jumping near the 1000m mark then taking on a full lap of the course in their attempt to take home the time-honoured event.

Track conditions can play a role but ultimately, the best stayers prevail, with those figuring in the market including Road to the Jericho winner I’m A Dirty Rascal, Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) winner Wolfgang, in-form mare Who Knows and the always-prominent Just Charlie.

Not to be discounted is Beavertown Boy, who finished runner-up last year, and his Adrian Bull-trained stablemate Titicaca.

Cup Day is R18 and tickets are sought-after, with allocation exhausted for a number of sections including the Ned Fashions in the Field. Still on offer are GA (with The Grand Tour for $40pp), Member’s Area ($120pp), and The Promenade Hospitality ($410pp).

The best of Canterbury’s hospitality will be on show at Riccarton Park, it is a week not to be missed.

 

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