Harness Racing’s Seven-Figure Spring

What’s being hailed as ‘‘The Million Dollar Spring” has been confirmed for Auckland and Christchurch.

Stakes for eighteen races have been announced for the country’s best two and three-year old pacers and trotters.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Harness Million for two-year-old colts and geldings is the table-topper with a stake of $200,000 at Alexandra Park on September 25.

The Garrard’s NZ 2YO Sires Stakes Final will be held the previous Friday for $140,000.

The fillies will be chasing $150,000 in the two-year-old NZB Standardbred Harness Million at Addington on Friday October 2, while the $120,000 Magness Benrow Group One Sires Stakes Fillies Championship will be held at Alexandra Park on October 30.

The races were re-scheduled after the COVID-19 pandemic brought racing to a halt in March and forced some feature age-group races to be postponed.   

On New Zealand Cup day (November 10) the Group One Nevele R Series Final will be decided with a stake of $100,000.

The richest race for the trotters will be the $85,000 PGG Wrightson 3YO final at Alexandra Park on October 9 while the Haras des Trotteurs Sires Stakes Championship for the two-year-olds is scheduled for Friday October 16 at Addington.

In all stake money will top $1.13m.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work to get where we are and it’s going to be a hugely exciting time,” says New Zealand Bloodstock Standardbred Advisor Bruce Barlass.

To view the full schedule click here

The Board also wishes to thank their loyal stable of sponsors for their support and is looking forward to continuing these partnerships in our future races.

“Fully supporting each other through these challenging times will provide better outcomes for us all as the Industry looks to rebound from the effects of COVID-19” concluded Martin Pierson, Sires Stakes Executive.