​Night Of Champions all go for 2026

By Michael Guerin

New Zealand’s richest night of harness racing has been confirmed for next year with the Night Of Champions to go ahead at Cambridge in April.

The meeting will once again feature the $1m Pacing slot race and the $600,000 Trot, which were sponsored by Betcha and the TAB respectively this year.

Both races were won this year by Australian-trained horses in Leap To Fame and Arcee Phoenix who went on to win their Inter Dominion Finals at Albion Park three months later.

Harness Racing New Zealand announced on Tuesday night the two races will headline the Night Of Champions which will be held on April 10, 2026 with the stakes for both races confirmed to stay at the same level as this year.

That makes the meeting the richest night of harness racing in New Zealand, with the IRT New Zealand Cup programme being a daytime meeting.

Slot holders from this year’s race will be given first option at retaining their slots for next year, with the slots for the pacing race at $60,000 plus GST while slots for the trotting race will sell for $40,000 plus GST. 

The slots sales will be co-ordinated by the man who first brought the two slots races to life in David Branch, former chief executive of Cambridge who is now working privately.

The Night Of Champions also features a strong support card and live on-track entertainment and has become the biggest harness racing meeting held in the North Island.