Latest NZ Sires' Stakes update : Newsletter and Podcast

Almost 900 standardbred foals and an increasing number of yearlings have paid up and signed on for an unprecedented schedule of New Zealand Sires’ Stakes racing starting this spring and summer.

886 fresh pacing and trotting prospects were confirmed for NZ Sires’ Stakes nomination after the August 1st deadline expired for the future rounds of age group racing in New Zealand.

More owners and breeders of standardbred yearlings made sustaining payments for their progeny than last season while the numbers breakdown also uncovered a larger number willing to have their pacing fillies take on the Nevele R Fillies Championship in 2025!

631 yearlings were sustained for NZ Sires’ Stakes races, an increase of 44 horses on last year. NZSS executive Martin Pierson says the most likely driver of the increase is more prize money and a wider spread of race opportunities available for Sires’ Stakes and aspirational series nominated horses.

In the August ‘Greatest Place to Race’ podcast, Pierson suggests the ‘Future Starts Now’ message back in July has started to really register with owners and breeders. “Many who might have been undecided as the payment deadline approached opted to be in rather than out of the running especially those with horses already in training”.

To listen click here

Connections of current two-year-old pacing fillies were keen to stay in the competitive Nevele R Fillies series for 2025 with 13 more paying the sustaining payment than last year leaving 140 ‘still live’ and with more prep time ahead if needed.

Pierson says moving the birth dates to January 1st two years ago and rescheduling the age group racing to compliment that is a key factor in the positive numbers.

“We should see in the coming weeks that the nomination of later blooming fillies has helped broaden the filly catchment across the board but especially among three-year-old prospects”.

The 886 foal nominations for NZ Sires Stakes’ this year represents 67.3% of the total registered standardbred foal crop for 2023/24 which was 1317.

In total, 2920 horse nominations and race series sustaining payments were processed for NZ Sires’ Stakes adjudicated races this year.

Join the Conversation: In Pod 2 of ‘The Greatest Place to Race’ Podcast, Martin Pierson and Sheldon Murtha discuss what factors might be driving the nomination data this year. Plus, expanding spring racing opportunities for NZ Sires’ Stakes nominated horses and the cross-section of sires influencing aspirational racing down under.

Number Crunch!

Some notable numbers tallied after this year’s NZ Sires’ Stakes and aspirational racing payment round on August 1

1317 the total number of standardbred foals in 2023/2024.
886 the number of NZSS foal nominations this year.
322 the number of filly foals NZSS nominated this year.
323 the number of colt foals NZSS nominated this year.
241 trotting bred foals nominated.
150 trotting bred yearlings sustained this year.
86 NZSS nominated foals by Bettors Delight.
71 number of fillies sustained for 2025 Caduceus Club Series.
42 NZSS nominated foals by Captaintreacherous.
17 NZSS nominated foals by Father Patrick.
8 NZSS nominated foals by Tactical Landing.

Races to look out for :

August 23 :

Nevele R Three-Year-Old Fillies Heat 1 at Addington
- Winner: Arden’s Memory.

August 30 : 

Dunstan Horsefeeds NZSS Two-Year-Old Fillies Heat 1 at Auckland

Abandoned. (Re-scheduled Oct 4 at Auckland)

September 6 :

Caduceus Club Two-Year-Old Fillies Prelude at Addington
Dunstan Horsefeeds NZSS Two-Year-Old Fillies Heat 2 at Auckland
Woodlands Stud NZSS Two-Year-Old Colt/Geldings Heat 1 at Auckland
Nevele R Three-Year-Old Fillies Heat 2 at Addington.

September 13 :

Woodlands Stud NZSS Harness 7000 at Addington
Nevele R Three-Year-Old Fillies Heat 3 at Auckland

September 15 :

Nevele R Three-Year-Old Fillies Heat 4 at Oamaru

September 20 :

Caduceus Club Two-Year-Old Fillies Final at Auckland
Woodlands Stud NZSS Two-Year-Old Colt/Geldings Heat 2 at Addington
Woodlands Stud NZSS Two-Year-Old Colt/Geldings Heat 3 at Auckland
IRT NZSS Two-Year-Old Trot Prelude 1 at Addington
Macca Lodge NZSS Three-Year-Old Trot Fillies Classique at Addington

September 27 :

IRT NZSS Two-Year-Old Trot Prelude 2 at Auckland
Nevele R Three-Year-Old Fillies Heat 5 at Auckland