Harness racing in New Zealand

Harness racing in New Zealand is more often called trotting in the "old school" rather than the more fashionable name of "harness racing".^[1] The sport is long standing with events being held as early as 1864. In New Zealand trotting as a sport involves both pacing and trotting competitions for Standardbred racehorses.^[2]

History

Lawn Derby, pacing un-hoppled.

Trotting races were held as part of the programme of some of the galloping meetings in the Otago Southland area as early as 1864. The first totalisators were introduced about this time. They faced opposition from a curious alliance of bookmakers and anti-gambling factions but were approved by the Clubs and licensed by the Colonial Secretary. The first trotting race on a racecourse in Canterbury, in 1875, before the totalisator was introduced, the stake was only about a "tenner" (£10), but the match created a lot of interest. About 1880, Lower Heathcote Racing Club was founded, supporting gallops, but added trotting events to its programme, giving smaller stakes. Some years later the club discontinued gallops and became the Lower Heathcote Trotting Club, which gave stakes ranging from £15 to £35.^[2]

The New South Wales bred, Lawn Derby, racing un-hoppled, was the first pacer to break the two-minute barrier in Australia or New Zealand when he recorded 1:59.4 at the Addington track in New Zealand in 1938.^[3]

From these early stages, the sport has developed with top races and top horses from then right up to the present day.

Major races

NZ trotter Uncle Petrika

In New Zealand the richest and most important race is the New Zealand Trotting Cup, run for older pacers in November at Addington. Other major races include the Auckland Trotting Cup as well as the Noel J Taylor Memorial Mile and the New Zealand Messenger Championship for four-year-olds. There are also the New Zealand Derby and the Great Northern Derby for three-year-olds, and the Dominion Handicap and Rowe Cup for trotters. The Harness Jewels raceday (the end-of year championships for two-, three- and four-year-olds) takes place in late May or early June

A marquee event is the annual series which takes place between New Zealand and Australia called the Inter Dominion. The series, which includes a pacing series and a trotting series, is held yearly and rotated around the Australian State Controlling Bodies and once every four years the Inter Dominion Championships are held in New Zealand.

Racing rules

New Zealand racing differs from North American racing in that metric distances are used, generally above the equivalent of one mile and horses are classed by how many wins they have. Another large difference is that in New Zealand racing the leader does not have to hand up the lead to any horse that challenges, often leaving a horse parked outside the leader in the "death seat", "the death", or "facing the breeze", as this horse covers more ground than the leader. New Zealand racing generally has more horses in each race, a field of 12 or 13 is not uncommon. This generally means that with the smaller tracks a "three wide train" starts as the field gets the bell at signal their final lap. There is a system of an 'open lane' or 'passing lane' ('sprint lane' in Australia). These lanes do not operate on all tracks and have been a point of argument between many industry participants. Many horses are able to easily "cross the Tasman" to Australia, as the rules are similar.

United States and Canada

The association with trotting in New Zealand and the United States has always been strong, with much of the breeding stock coming from America. Particularly in the 1950s and 1960s, New Zealand horses competed in both Canada and the United States. The first New Zealand horse to be raced in America by a New Zealander was the trotter Vodka, the winner of the 1953 Dominion Handicap. He was taken there in 1956 by his owner, J. S. Shaw, won 11 races and was later leased to American interests.

In 1960 Caduceus was the first New Zealand pacer to compete in the Yonkers International Series with his trainer-driver, J. D. Litten. Despite his nine years, Caduceus showed he was the equal of the top American horses, winning the last race of the series, only to be disqualified. He also was leased to American interests and at 10 years of age was still winning races.

False Step was driven in the Yonkers International series during the 1960–61 season by his trainer C C Devine. False Step's performances showed he was one of the greatest pacers in the world. He beat the acknowledged American champion, Adios Butler, in a 1½ mile race. He was sold in America for 115,000 dollars, the fifth highest price paid for a pacer in the United States.

Arania also entered the series with False Step. She did not do well, but after being leased won several races and proved she was able to race with the best in America, and in fact created a record of 1 min 57 sec for 1 mile in the Lexington Red Mile.^[4]

In 1964, Cardigan Bay was to travel to America with reinsman Stanley Dancer, who paid 100,000 dollars for the horse. Cardigan Bay was already an established racehorse in New Zealand, having won the 1963 New Zealand Trotting Cup and other top races in Australia and New Zealand. He went on to win over a million dollars in the United States, the first harness horse ever to do so.

List of major races

Major horse races in New Zealand
Harness Racing Circuit ^[5]
Name	Distance	Current Value	Winners
Auckland Trotting Cup	2700 m	$600,000	Winners
Dominion Handicap	3200 m	$200,000	Winners
Great Northern Derby	2700 m	$600,000	Winners
New Zealand Trotting Derby	2700 m	$300,000	Winners
New Zealand Free For All	2000 m	$200,000	Winners
New Zealand Messenger	2700 m	$200,000	Winners
New Zealand Sires Stakes	1950 m	$200,000	Winners
New Zealand Trotting Cup	3200 m	$750,000	Winners
Noel J Taylor Mile	1700 m	$100,000	Winners
Rowe Cup	3200 m	$300,000	Winners

Horse races

Race	Date	Club	Grade	Type	Stake
Avon City Ford Cup	Sep	NZ Metro	Listed	Open Pace	$20,000
Ordeal Cup	Sep	NZ Metro	Listed	Open Trot	$20,000
Spring Cup	Sep	Auckland	Listed	Open Pace	$25,000
Superstars Champs	Oct	NZ Metro	Group 2	4YO Pace	$50,000
Searells Classic	Oct	NZ Metro	Group 3	Open Pace	$30,000
D G Jones Trotting Cup	Oct	Banks Pen	Group 3	Open Trot	$35,000
Kumeu Founders Cup	Oct	Kumeu	Group 3	Open Pace	$30,000
Canterbury Park Trotting Cup	Oct	NZ Metro	Group 3	Open Trot	$30,000
Methven Cup	Oct	Methven	Listed	Open Pace	$25,000
Ashburton Flying Stakes	Oct	Ashburton	Group 2	Open Pace	$75,000
Ashburton Trotters Flying Mile	Oct	Ashburton	Group 3	Open Trot	$40,000
Kaikoura Cup	Oct	Kaikoura	Group 2	Open Pace	$60,000
Handicap Trot	Nov	Kaikoura	Listed	Open Trot	$30,000
New Zealand Sires Stakes	Nov	NZ Metro	Group 1	3YO Pace	$300,000
New Zealand Trotting Cup	Nov	NZ Metro	Group 1	Open Pace	$750,000
NZ Free-For-All	Nov	NZ Metro	Group 3	Open Pace	$50,000
Discretionary Trot	Nov	NZ Metro	Listed	Open Trot	$25,000
New Zealand Free For All	Nov	NZ Metro	Group 1	Open Pace	$200,000
New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All	Nov	NZ Metro	Group 1	Open Trot	$100,000
Dominion Handicap	Nov	NZ Metro	Group 1	Open Trot	$200,000
Pak'N Save Franklin Cup	Nov	Franklin	Group 2	Open Pace	$80,000
Ladyship Stakes	Dec	Auckland	Group 2	3YO Fillies Pace	$70,000
Lyell Creek Stakes	Dec	Auckland	Group 2	Open Trot	$50,000
Northern 4YO Breeders Stakes	Dec	Auckland	Group 3	4YO Mares Pace	$40,000
Northern Stakes	Dec	Auckland	Listed	3YO Pace	$25,000
Queen Of Hearts	Dec	Auckland	Group 1	Mares Pace	$100,000
Elsu Classic	Dec	Auckland	Group 2	3YO Pace	$70,000
Trotters Flying Mile	Dec	Cambridge	Group 2	Open Trot	$55,000
Sires Stakes Fillies Final	Dec	Auckland	Group 1	3YO Fillies Pace	$150,000
National Trot	Dec	Auckland	Group 1	Open Trot	$100,000
Manukau Summer Cup	Dec	Auckland	Group 3	Open Pace	$45,000
3YO Open	Dec	Auckland	Listed	3YO Pace	$200,000
Flying Mile	Jan	Cambridge	Group 2	Open Pace	$75,000
Trotting Cup FFA	Jan	Cen Otago	Listed	Open Pace	$25,000
Flying Stakes	Jan	Cambridge	Listed	Open Trot	$30,000
Cambridge 4YO Classic	Jan	Cambridge	Group 3	4YO Pace	$40,000
Waikato Guineas	Jan	Cambridge	Listed	3YO Pace	$27,500
Southland Cup	Jan	North South	Group 3	Open Pace	$55,000
4YO Futurity Stakes	Jan	Cambridge	Group 2	4YO Pace	$60,000
Te Awamutu Juvenile Stake	Jan	Cambridge	Listed	2YO Pace	$25,000
4YO Classic	Jan	Marlborough	Group 2	4YO Pace	$50,000
Caduceus Club Mares Championship	Jan	NZ Metro	Group 2	Mares Pace	$50,000
Fillies Pace	Jan	NZ Metro	Listed	3YO Fillies Pace	$125,000
FFA Mobile	Jan	NZ Metro	Listed	Open Pace	$75,000
4YO Championship	Feb	Forbury	Group 3	4YO Pace	$30,000
NZ Sapling Stakes	Feb	Ashburton	Group 3	2YO Pace	$30,000
Hambletonian Classic	Feb	Ashburton	Group 3	3YO Trot	$30,000
NZ Breeders Stakes	Feb	NZ Metro	Group 1	F & M Pace	$100,000
City Of Auckland FFA	Feb	Auckland	Group 2	Open Pace	$60,000
Northern Oaks	Feb	Auckland	Group 1	3YO Fillies Pace	$200,000
NZ Kindergarten Stakes	Feb	Wyndham	Group 3	2YO Pace	$30,000
Great Northern Derby	Mar	Auckland	Group 1	3YO Pace	$600,000
Auckland Trotting Cup	Mar	Auckland	Group 1	Open Pace	$600,000
Cardigan Bay Stakes	Mar	Auckland	Group 2	2YO Pace	$50,000
City of Sails FFA	Mar	Auckland	Group 3	Open Trot	$40,000
Delightful Lady Classic	Mar	Auckland	Listed	2YO Fillies Pace	$25,000
Stakes	Mar	Cheviot	Group 3	2YO Fillies Pace	$30,000
3YO Trot	Mar	Rangiora	Listed	3YO Trot	$60,000
Invercargill Cup	Mar	Invercargill	Group 3	Open Pace	$55,000
Canterbury Country Cups Final	Mar	NZ Metro	Feature	Open Pace	$30,000
NZ Trotting Derby	Mar	NZ Metro	Group 1	3YO Trot	$100,000
Flying Stakes	Mar	NZ Metro	Group 2	3YO Pace	$50,000
4YO Trotters Champ	Mar	NZ Metro	Group 3	4YO Trot	$30,000
New Zealand Trotting Derby	Apr	NZ Metro	Group 1	3YO Pace	$300,000
NZ Trotting Champs	Apr	NZ Metro	Group 1	Open Trot	$100,000
Fillies Classic	Apr	Auckland	Group 1	2YO Fillies Pace	$110,000
NZ Trotting Oaks	Apr	NZ Metro	Group 3	3YO Fillies Trot	$30,000
Free-For-All	Apr	NZ Metro	Group 3	Open Pace	$30,000
Fillies Classic	Apr	North South	Listed	2YO Pace	$25,000
Easter Cup	Apr	NZ Metro	Group 1	Open Pace	$100,000
Welcome Stakes	Apr	NZ Metro	Group 1	2YO Pace	$100,000
North Island Country Cups Final	Apr	Auckland	Feature	Open Pace	$30,000
Noel J Taylor Mile	Apr	Auckland	Group 1	4YO Pace	$100,000
Sires Stakes Trotters Championship	Apr	Auckland	Group 2	3YO Trot	$80,000
Morrinsville Juvenile Stakes	Apr	Moriinsville	Listed	2YO Pace	$30,000
2YO Fillies	Apr	Auckland	Listed	2YO Fillies Pace	$150,000
New Zealand Messenger	May	Auckland	Group 1	4YO Pace	$200,000
NZ Sires Stakes Fillies Champs	May	Auckland	Group 1	2YO Fillies Pace	$150,000
Rowe Cup	May	Auckland	Group 1	Open Trot	$300,000
Northern Trotting Derby	May	Auckland	Group 1	3YO Trot	$100,000
NZ Trotting Stakes	May	NZ Metro	Group 3	2YO Trot	$30,000
Southern Country Cups Final	May	Invercargill	Feature	Open Pace	$35,000
Southland Oaks	May	Invercargill	Group 2	3YO Fillies Pace	$50,000
Southern Supremacy Stakes	May	Invercargill	Group 2	3YO C & G Pace	$50,000
Rangiora Classic	May	Rangiora	Group 3	Open Pace	$60,000
Fillies Final	May	NZ Metro	Group 1	3YO Fillies Pace	$150,000
NZ Sires Stakes Trotting Championship	May	NZ Metro	Group 2	2YO Trot	$60,000
Yearling Sales 2YO Open	May	NZ Metro	Listed	2YO Pace	$200,000
Cambridge 3YO Trotting Stakes	May	Cambridge	Listed	3YO Trot	$25,000
Memorial NZ Oaks	May	NZ Metro	Group 1	3YO Fillies Pace	$150,000
NZ Sires Stakes Final	May	NZ Metro	Group 1	2YO Pace	$200,000
Kumeu Stakes	May	Auckland	Group 3	4YO Pace	$30,000
Winter Cup	May	NZ Metro	Listed	Open Pace	$25,000
NI Breeders Stakes	May	Franklin	Group 3	F & M Pace	$30,000
Yearling Sales 2YO Trot	May	NZ Metro	Listed	2YO Trot	$60,000
Harness Jewels 2YO Diamond	May	Ashburton	Group 1	2YO Fillies Pace	$200,000
Harness Jewels 3YO Diamond	May	Ashburton	Group 1	3YO Fillies Pace	$200,000
Harness Jewels 4YO Diamond	May	Ashburton	Group 1	4YO Mares Pace	$200,000
Harness Jewels 2YO Emerald	May	Ashburton	Group 1	2YO C & G Pace	$200,000
Harness Jewels 3YO Emerald	May	Ashburton	Group 1	3YO C & G Pace	$200,000
Harness Jewels 4YO Emerald	May	Ashburton	Group 1	4YO E & G Pace	$200,000
Harness Jewels 3YO Ruby	May	Ashburton	Group 1	3YO Trot	$100,000
Harness Jewels 4YO Ruby	May	Ashburton	Group 1	4YO Trot	$100,000
Harness Jewels 2YO Ruby	May	Ashburton	Group 2	2YO Trot	$100,000
Trotting Breeders Stakes	Jun	Auckland	Group 3	F & M Trot	$35,000
Winter Cup	Jun	Auckland	Listed	Open Pace	$25,000
NZ Yearling Sales NHT Pace	Jun	Auckland	Listed	2YO Pace	$100,000
Greenlane Cup	Jun	Auckland	Listed	Open Trot	$25,000
Thames Cup	Jun	Thames	Listed	Open Pace	$20,000

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Horse racing in New Zealand.

Racing, Trotting, from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand

Harness racing in Oceania

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