New Zealand horse racing
Horse racing holds a special place in the New Zealand sporting landscape, possibly second only to the mighty All Blacks and rugby union in terms of public interest and affection.
There are some 52 racetracks spread across the country, ranging from the world-class city tracks of Ellerslie (Auckland), Trentham (Wellington) and Riccarton (Christchurch) to the once-a-year venues that draw in dedicated locals as much for the social occasion as the racing.
With more than 360 race meetings each year, there are few days without a New Zealand meeting, though the best racing is reserved for Saturdays and carnival times.
The sport is governed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.
New Zealand is also renowned as a horse heaven for breeding, and exports many thoroughbreds to neighbours Australia and the racing hubs of Hong Kong and Singapore and elsewhere.
Useful links:
NZ Racing news
Yulong Investments buys Group 2 winner in major sale
Yulong Investments have furthered their position among New Zealand’s racing ranks this week with the purchase of eye-catching Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) winner Ohope Wins. The Australian-based racing and breeding operation, owned by Zhang Yuesheng, has made…
Falconer notches up winning double at Avondale
Cambridge horsewoman Margaret Falconer celebrated a winning double at Avondale on Wednesday with a pair of progressive staying prospects. The first to salute on the midweek card was Hakata Bay,…
Veteran jockey records first career win at Woodville
It was a proud moment in the Taiaroa family on Sunday when amateur jockey Evan Taiaroa recorded his first win in the saddle aboard Grand Prospect at Woodville for Foxton…
G1 winning trainer makes successful return to NZ racing
Memories of a former high-class performer were revived when Peter Fitzgerald recently made a return to the winner’s circle. The Otaki horseman celebrated his first success in three decades when…
Promising Kiwi Public Attention sold to Hong Kong
New Zealand-bred three-year-old Public Attention will continue his racing career in Hong Kong following his recent sale. The grey son of Written Tycoon was bred by the late Sir Patrick…
How to bet on New Zealand horse racing
Betting on New Zealand horse racing is a straight-forward process but what is available to you will largely be determined by your location and the laws you live under.
For instance, in New Zealand it is perfectly legal to bet on the horses via the TAB or an online bookmaker, although this will change later in 2026, with regulation set to land that will force offshore operators to seek licensing.
Australians can legally bet on New Zealand horse racing via one of their money licensed bookmakers, with many horses from Australia racing over the ditch and vice versa.
Basically anywhere with regulated sports betting, and notably horse racing, you will be able to bet on New Zealand racing, with this part of the world known for producing outstanding stayers.
Top betting sites for NZ horse racing
Horse racing betting sites will feature extensive markets on New Zealand thoroughbreds, with these ramping up when there is a group or listed race taking place.
The best betting sites for NZ racing vary depending on your location, with many places having regulation surrounding online wagering, although many share a common vibe and offer similar markets.
The top NZ horse racing betting sites can be accessed via both mobile and desktop computer, with mobile websites and betting apps very popular and highly accessible all over the world.
While some jurisdictons (like Aussie betting sites) have outlaws new account incentives, Kiwis and bettors from other jurisdictions can claim many bonus offers and promotions surrounding horse racing.
Popular racing promotions include things like Bad Beat Insurance (where you get paid if your bet finishes top three), quaddie insurance, free bets, boosted odds and basically anything else you can dream up.
Funding the top NZ racing betting sites can be done via many different means, including via credit and debit cards, web wallets, payment processors and even crytpos. What online betting deposit types are available to you will be determined by your location .
Best betting apps for New Zealand racing
Betway review
The top betting apps for Australian horse racing generally come on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, with these the most common type of devices used in 2026. Huawei, which is the Chinese smartphone company, has gained inroads in some places, including Africa and Asia.
Downloading iOS NZ racing smartphone apps can be more restrictive than the alternatives, with these only available from the App Store, and only in countries where there is regulated gambling.
Android racing betting apps for New Zealand can either be downloaded from Google Play, or directly from the operators themselves, although you will need to turn on non-market apps to complete the download.
Like on Android, Huawei users can either download apps from the AppGallery or directly from the betting sites, with this smartphone type allowing downloads from outside official channels.
While the talk of different smartphones and tablets can be confusing, once you have download betting apps, they work much the same across platforms with small differences.
History of racing in New Zealand
The first horses in New Zealand are believed to have arrived in 1814 at Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands from New South Wales, Australia, a gift from Governor Lachlan Macquarie to the Maori. The first thoroughbred to arrive in New Zealand from Australia was named Figaro, reportedly in Wellington in 1840.
Early race meetings were controlled by local committees with rules in common with those of the English Jockey Club. In 1876 it was decided a national jockey club be formed to standardise rules and weight scales. That was the forerunner of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing which runs the show today.
New Zealand can lay claim to having the world’s first automatic totalisator, invented by English-born inventor George Julius (son of the first Archbishop of New Zealand, at Ellerslie in 1913, and 1951 started the world’s first off-course national betting agency, the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB).
How NZ horse racing works
New Zealand is home to flat and jumps racing, though the latter plays only a small part during the colder months from March to early November.
Flat racing is dominant and continues year round, with race distances varying from sprints of 1000 metres (five furlongs) to middle distance to staying events up to 3200 metres (two miles).
Group 1 races stand at the peak of racing in New Zealand, followed by group 2 and group 3 races and then listed races, which often feature promising horses trying to make the transition to group racing.
The standard racing at the level below these races generally consists of handicaps, where the NZTR handicapper attempts to give each horse an equal chance by adjusting their weights, and maidens, for horses yet to win a race.
Racecourses of New Zealand
There are some 52 racecourses around the country, from the real country-style tracks to those in some of the more populous areas.
New Zealand’s Premier racing is mostly conducted on Saturdays and is held at the following tracks: Ellerslie (Auckland), Trentham (Wellington), Riccarton (Christchurch), Hastings, Pukekohe, Palmerston North, Dunedin, New Plymouth, Matamata, Te Aroha, Rotorua, Ashburton and Tauranga. Though most of the Premier action is at the city tracks.
Highlights of the NZ racing calendar
There are many great races on the New Zealand horse racing calendar.
Auckland Cup Carnival
The focus in New Zealand’s biggest city turns to the Ellerslie course in early March for two days of super racing action, highlight by country’s richest group 1 race, the NZ Derby, on day one. The on day two it’s the stayers’ turn in the time-honoured Auckland Cup. The week features plenty of fashion and entertainment.
Best races: New Zealand Derby, Auckland Cup, New Zealand Stakes, Sistema Stakes.
Wellington Cup Carnival
A wonderful summer carnival helds over a couple of Saturday meetings in January at the Trentham track. As with most of the big NZ meetings, stayers are to the fore, for the testing 3200m cup, while the Telegraph is the country’s richest open sprint race.
Other important races during the Wellington Cup Carnival include the Thorndon Mile and Wellington Cup.
Best races: Levin Classic, Thorndon Mile, Telegraph Handicap, Wellington Cup.
Hawkes Bay Spring Carnival
Any excuse to visit this beautiful region should be used, and what better one than a racing extravaganza in September and early October, with the racing action at the Hastings course in Hawke’s Bay, on the east coast of the North Island. The region is famed for its wines and other superb produce, plus its great golf courses, so plenty to do between meetings.
Best races: Mudgway Stakes (Challenge Stakes), Horlicks Plate, Spring Classic
New Zealand Cup Carnival
In mid to late November, the South Island takes centre stage for a magnificent week of racing, thoroughbred, standardbreds and greyhounds. At Riccarton racecourse in Christchurch, there are three premier meetings in the week, while the harness and greyhound action takes place at Addington Raceway. The highlights from a racing perspective are the NZ 2000 Guineas and NZ 1000 Guineas. The second Saturday is usually a sell-out as the stayers step out, on track in 3200m NZ Cup and off in the seemingly never-ending party the day brings.
Best races: New Zealand 2000 Guineas, New Zealand 1000 Guineas, Coupland’s Bakeries Mile, New Zealand Cup.
NZ Group & Listed races
New Zealand racing features many group and listed races that offer more prestige than your average meeting, with these heavily slanted towards the warmer months of the year. The richest horse race in New Zealand for 2026 are expected to be the Karaka Million, Karaka Million 3YO Classic and the New Zealand Derby, with all of these races featuring a million dollar prize pool.
| Race | Type | P’money $NZ | Month | Track | Distance (metres) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Railway Stakes | Open | $200,000 | January | Ellerslie | 1200m |
| Levin Classic | 3YO | $240,000 | January | Trentham | 1600m |
| NZ International Stakes | Open | $400,000 | January | Te Rapa | 2000m |
| Karaka Million | 2YO | $1,000,000 | January | Ellerslie Racecourse | 1200m |
| Karaka Million 3YO Classic | 3yo | $1,000,000 | January | Ellerslie Racecourse | 1600m |
| Telegraph Handicap | Open | $250,000 | January | Trentham Racecourse | 1200m |
| Wellington Cup | Open | $200,000 | January | Trentham Racecourse | 2400m |
| Thorndon Mile | Open | $200,000 | January | Trentham Racecourse | 1600m |
| Waikato Sprint | Open | $200,000 | February | Te Rapa | 1400m |
| New Zealand Stakes | Open | $200,000 | March | Ellerslie | 2000m |
| Sistema Stakes | 2YO | $200,000 | March | Ellerslie | 1200m |
| Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes | 2YO | $225,000 | March/April | Awapuni | 1400m |
| Auckland Cup | Open | $500,000 | March | Ellerslie Racecourse | 3200m |
| New Zealand Oaks | 3YO fillies | $300,000 | March | Trentham Racecourse | 2400m |
| New Zealand Derby | 3YO | $1,000,000 | March | Ellerslie Racecourse | 2400m |
| Easter Handicap | Open | $200,000 | April | Ellerslie | 1600m |
| Mudgway Stakes (Challenge Stakes) | Open | $200,000 | September | Hastings | 1400m |
| Horlicks Plate | Open | $200,000 | September | Hastings | 1600m |
| Spring Classic | Open | $300,000 | October | Hastings | 2040m |
| New Zealand 1000 Guineas | 3YO fillies | $300,000 | November | Riccarton Racecourse | 1600m |
| New Zealand 2000 Guineas | 3YO colts and geldings | $400,000 | November | Riccarton Racecourse | 1600m |
| New Zealand Cup | Open | $225,000 | November | Riccarton Racecourse | 3200m |
| Zabeel Classic | Open | $200,000 | December | Ellerslie | 2000m |
NZ racing FAQ
Do you have a question about New Zealand horse racing? Drop us a message in the box below or email us at contact@worldgamblinglist.com.
-
What is New Zealand’s richest horse race?
New Zealand’s richest horse race is the Karaka Millions 2YO, which carries a total prize pool of NZ$1 million. Run each January at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, the race is restricted to two-year-olds purchased through the Karaka sales and is one of the biggest events on the local racing calendar.
-
What is New Zealand’s most famous horse?
The most famous New Zealand-bred horse is Phar Lap. Although he achieved legendary status racing in Australia during the 1930s, Phar Lap was foaled in New Zealand and is widely regarded as one of the greatest racehorses of all time.
-
Is horse racing legal in New Zealand?
Yes, horse racing is fully legal and tightly regulated in New Zealand. The industry is governed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, with betting overseen by the TAB New Zealand under the Racing Industry Act.
-
Can I bet on New Zealand horse racing?
Yes. New Zealand residents can legally bet on local and international horse racing through TAB New Zealand, which offers fixed-odds betting, tote betting, and live markets across thoroughbred, harness, and greyhound racing. International betting sites will often run markets on NZ racing codes.
-
Can I bet on New Zealand racing using cryptocurrencies?
Licensed New Zealand betting sites do not currently accept cryptocurrency betting. However, some offshore betting sites that accept cryptocurrencies may offer markets on New Zealand horse racing. These platforms are not regulated by New Zealand authorities, so players should be aware of the risks involved.
-
What are the biggest horse racing events in New Zealand?
Major races include the New Zealand Derby, New Zealand Cup, Auckland Cup, and the Karaka Millions series. These events attract strong local interest and international attention, particularly from Australian punters.
-
What types of horse racing are popular in New Zealand?
New Zealand has three main racing codes: thoroughbred racing, harness racing (standardbreds), and greyhound racing. Thoroughbred racing is the most prominent and commercially significant of the three.
-
Are overseas punters allowed to bet on New Zealand races?
Yes. Many international bookmakers offer betting markets on New Zealand horse racing, especially for major meetings. Availability depends on local laws in the bettor’s country and the bookmaker’s licensing.
-
Where are most New Zealand horse races held?
Races are held across the country, with major tracks including Ellerslie and Te Rapa in the North Island, and Riccarton and Wingatui in the South Island.
-
Is New Zealand known for breeding racehorses?
Yes. New Zealand is internationally respected for producing high-quality thoroughbreds, many of which go on to race successfully in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
-
Is Australian or New Zealand racing better?
Australians will claim their racing is, while Kiwis will point to Phar Lap, and their bevy of modern staying stars. Australian racing is more lucrative and overall stronger, but the Kiwis punch well above their weight when it comes to horse racing
