New Zealand St. Leger

The New Zealand St. Leger is a major thoroughbred horse race run at Trentham Racecourse in New Zealand on New Zealand Oaks day in March each year.

Race conditions and scheduling

Originally a race for three-year-old horses, it was later opened up to both three- and four-year olds and then from 2019 the race became an Open race with set weights and penalties.

The New Zealand St. Leger is a test of a horse's staying ability and has been run over:

• 2500m up until 2018
• 2600m from 2019 to 2024
• 2500m from 2025.

Until 2025 it was raced on New Zealand Oaks day along with:

• Cuddle Stakes (Group 3, 1600m for fillies and mares).
• Lightning Handicap (Listed, 1200m open handicap).
• Wellington Guineas (Group 2, 1400m for 3 year olds)

In 2026 the New Zealand Oaks was moved to Ellerslie Racecourse.

Notable winners

Among the past winners are some of the greatest New Zealand racehorses:

• Beau Vite (the winner in 1940) who won 31 races in New Zealand and Australia including both the 1940 and 1941 editions of the Cox Plate and Mackinnon Stakes and the 1940 Auckland Cup.
• Dalray (1952) who, in a career cut short by injury, won the 1951 New Zealand Derby and in 1952 the Great Northern Derby, Metropolitan Handicap, Mackinnon Stakes and Melbourne Cup.
• Kindergarten (1941) who won 25 of his 35 starts and was one of five inaugural inductees to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.
• Mainbrace (1951) who won 23 of his 25 starts and was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.
• Silver Knight (1971) who went on to win the Melbourne Cup in the same year.

Although in recent years the New Zealand St. Leger has diminished in status it has continued to attract high class stayers, such as:

• Hail (2002): winner of the 2000 New Zealand Derby, 2002 Sandown Classic and 2003 Zabeel Classic.
• Jacksstar (2016): winner of the 2019 Awapuni Gold Cup and 2016 Manawatu Cup.
• Rock On (2017): winner of the 2018 Manawatu Cup.
• Sampson (2019): winner of the 2017 Awapuni Gold Cup.
• Waisake (2021): winner of the 2021 Wellington Cup
• Leaderboard (2022): winner of the 2023 Wellington Cup

Race results

See also

• Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand

References

• PedigreeQuery.com

External links

• New Zealand St. Leger winners