Last week, Entain Australia and New Zealand and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing collectively announced the inaugural New Zealand Summer Series Bonus, whereby New Zealand and Australia’s leading middle-distance horses will compete for a lucrative purse of $650,000 in bonuses.

The bonus structure for entry and Series races has been finalised by NZTR, with the overall winner being determined by a points system, and points weighted towards the Series races as indicated below.

Points Structure for Entry and Series Races

Bonus Structure (Total bonus, including Trainer payment)

• Series winner: $500k
• Series runner up: $100k
• Series third placegetter: $50k

*Mandatory 10% Trainer payment to be paid from bonus amounts listed above.

To be eligible for the winning bonus, a horse will need to run in one of the two 1600-metre entry races – the $400,000 Harcourts Thorndon Mile at Trentham on 20 January or the new $1,000,000 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic at Ellerslie on 27 January, held on TAB Karaka Millions night. The Series will then progress towards two of New Zealand’s most iconic 2000-metre races – the $600,000 Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa on 10 February and the $450,000 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie on 9 March.

Learn more about the New Zealand Summer Series Bonus here.