Spring Stakes the Highlight of Special NZB Day at Newcastle

Media Release - Friday November 11

For the second straight year, New Zealand Bloodstock is teaming up with the Newcastle Jockey Club to stage a lucrative New Zealand-themed raceday at Newcastle Racecourse this Saturday.

NZB is proud to be at the forefront of developing the innovative concept, playing an integral part as the principal sponsor of the entire meeting as well as multiple undercard races.

The richest race of the standalone meeting is the A$1m The Hunter (1300m), supported by the A$200,000 Group Three New Zealand Bloodstock Spring Stakes (1600m), the A$300,000 NZB Insurance The Beauford (2300m), the A$150,000 NZB Airfreight Max Lees Classic (900m), the A$150,000 DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka Fillies & Mares (1400m), the A$150,000 Alf Kneebone Trans-Tasman Trophy (1850m), the A$150,000 Karaka 2023 Benchmark 88 Handicap (1300m), the A$150,000 NZB Jack Newton Legend Mile (1600m) and the A$120,000 Gavelhouse.com Midway (1600m).

Advertisement

A talented field of 13 will shoot for valuable black type in the Spring Stakes, including Karaka graduates Saveadateforme (NZ) (Savabeel) and Kazalark (NZ) (Vadamos). Proven blacktype performer Basquiat (Snitzel), meanwhile, is part-owned by New Zealand Bloodstock principal Sir Peter Vela.

The Spring Stakes will be run as Race 7 at Newcastle with a start time of 4pm local time (6pm New Zealand time).

Adding another dimension to the day is the Alf Kneebone Trans-Tasman Trophy, where Australian-born and New Zealand-born trainers will compete head-to-head. The race, named after the highly respected racing scribe Alf Kneebone, celebrates the talented trainers produced by both Australia and New Zealand. The winning trainer of the race will receive a NZ$5,000 NZB credit towards the Karaka 2022 yearling sale.

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Cambridge Stud News
It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.
Expensive Xtravagant Wins $1million Meteorite
The highest priced yearling by Xtravagant sold in 2022, progressive sprinter Nadal (Xtravagant) produced an explosive turn of foot to come from near last to win the inaugural running of today’s $1m The Ladbrokes Meteorite at Cranbourne.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Cosmic Vega Breaks Through in Kilmore Cup
A rapidly deteriorating track at Kilmore proved the winning formula for the Irish import Cosmic Vega (IRE) and visiting English rider Saffie Osborne to open their Australian accounts in Sunday’s $200,000 Listed Bet365 Kilmore Cup (1600m).
One to Watch – Canberra
At the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast US investors Richard and Tammy Rigney of Rigney Racing purchased two yearling fillies by I Am Invincible for $2million and $1.2million and got a result with one of them in Canberra on Sunday.
$1.3million Snitzel Colt Ready to Fire on Debut for Te Akau
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are confident they have the young firepower to make an early impression in the first of the black type features at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
New French Stakes-Winner for Churchill
Currently finishing his seventh season of shuttling to Coolmore Australia, Churchill has had a productive year and sired his 16th stakes-winner of 2024 when progressive three year-old filly Some Skye landed the Listed Grand Prix de Fontainebleau (1900m) at Chantilly.
Better Than Ready's Port Lockroy Triumphs in G1 Railway Stakes
Interstate visitors have a poor winning record in the $1,500,000 Group 1 Swan Draught - Railway Stakes, but Port Lockroy played his part in squaring the ledger when choosing the perfect spot to end a run of bad luck in stakes races.
Sires With Winners - Friday November 22
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Do Deuce From Last to First in Japan Cup
The visitors were once again humbled by the locals in the 44th running of Sunday’s Group 1 Longines Japan Cup (2400m) at Tokyo Racecourse.