New Zealand 1000 Guineas

The New Zealand 1000 Guineas is a Group One set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of 1600 metres (1 mile) at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Christchurch New Zealand Cup week

In previous years the New Zealand 1000 Guineas was held on the final Saturday of Christchurch's famous Christchurch "Cup Week" held along with the New Zealand Cup. However, from 2025 it was swapped with the New Zealand 2000 Guineas and moved to the first Saturday, four days after the Melbourne Cup.

For thoroughbred horses the week features:

the New Zealand 2000 Guineas, as stated above, previously held on the first Saturday but moved to the second Saturday as from 2025
the TAB Mile (formerly the Coupland's Bakeries Mile) on the Wednesday
the New Zealand Cup on the final Saturday
the Stewards Handicap sprint on the final Saturday.

Christchurch Cup week includes premier standardbred meetings at Addington raceway including:

the New Zealand Trotting Cup for pacers on the Tuesday
the Dominion Handicap for trotters which was previously held on the Friday, but moved to the Tuesday from 2024
the New Zealand Free For All for pacers on the Friday.

There is also greyhound racing on the Thursday, including the following Group 1 races:

the New Zealand Galaxy - C5f 295m
the New Zealand Greyhound Cup - C5f 520m
the New Zealand Stayers Cup - C2df 732m

The week also features the Canterbury A&P Show

History

Until 1973, both the New Zealand Oaks and the New Zealand Derby were run at Riccarton. When those races were moved to Trentham and Ellerslie respectively, Riccarton was awarded two new classic races, the 1000 and 2000 Guineas over 1600 metres (1 mile). These races are based on those of the same name in the United Kingdom, run at Newmarket in the first weekend in May.

Both races have quickly established themselves on the New Zealand calendar, and the 1000 Guineas routinely attracts all of the country's leading fillies and, as a crucial race in the Filly Of The Year series, is regularly taken out by the eventual winner of that title.

The 1000 Guineas has been run for a total stake of:

1975 - $20,000
1986 - $100,000
1994 - $100,000
2003 - $275,000
2007 - $325,000
2014 - $400,000
2019 - $300,000
2024 - $550,000

Notable winners

Among the best winners of the 1000 Guineas are:

Katie Lee
King's Rose (2010), winner of the 2010 Eulogy Stakes, 2011 NZB Royal Stakes, Sir Tristram Fillies Classic, Memsie Stakes and W H Stocks Stakes
Legarto
Seachange
Taatletail
Tycoon Lil (1997), winner of the 1998 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic, New Zealand Oaks and Canterbury Guineas, runner up in the 1997 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and Rosehill Guineas and 3rd to Might and Power in the 1998 Cox Plate.

Recent results

1000 and 2000 Guineas

Katie Lee is the only horse to win both of these races, having done so in 2009 ridden by Opie Bosson and trained by Graeme & Debbie Rogerson for owners Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan.

In 1997 Tycoon Lil won the 1000 Guineas and 4 days later was 2nd in the 2000 Guineas behind Foxwood.

In 2014 Platinum Witness was 4th in the 2000 Guineas behind Turn Me Loose and then a week later won the 1000 Guineas.

1000 Guineas and New Zealand Oaks

Historically winners and placegetters in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas have performed strongly in the New Zealand Oaks, such as the following:

References