New Zealand Messenger Championship
The New Zealand Messenger Championship is a Group One event for 4 year old pacing horses in New Zealand, run at Alexandra Park. In recent years the race has been held in late April or early May.
| Group I race | |
| Location | Alexandra Park Auckland, New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1967 |
| Race type | Standardbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2700m |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Right-handed oval |
| Qualification | Four-year-old horses |
| Purse | NZ $90,000 (2019) |
The New Zealand Messenger Championship had traditionally been restricted to 4 year-old horses and was the most prestigious race for that age group in New Zealand, and a key guide to feature races in the following season like the New Zealand Trotting Cup and Auckland Cup. This is evidenced by New Zealand Messenger Championship winners and subsequent Cup victors such as Lazarus, Auckland Reactor, Monkey King, Mainland Banner, Elsu and Just An Excuse to name a few.
For the 2013, 2014 and 2015 years 5 year olds were also eligible to compete in the race. However from 2016 in reverted to 4 year olds only.
Winners list
| Year |
Month |
Horse |
Owner |
Driver |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | May | Spankem | Mrs GJ Kennard, PI Kennard, Breckon Racing Syndicate, JA Gibbs MNZM, Mrs A Gibbs, GA Woodham, Mrs KJ Woodham. | Natalie Rasmussen | 3:17.6 |
| 2018 | Apr | Eamon Maguire | BD Sceats, GJ Anderson, R Chalklin, SR Pulley, AD Gow, Mrs PP Gillan | Natalie Rasmussen | 3:15.7 |
| 2017 | Apr | Lazarus | Mrs GJ Kennard, PI Kennard, TG Casey, KJ Riseley | Mark Purdon | 3:25.2 |
| 2016 | Apr | Field Marshall | Mrs S A Brown, S B Brown | Dexter Dunn | 3:15.8 |
| 2015 | Apr | Sky Major | Mrs K J Purdon, T G Casey, Clear View Racing No 4 Syndicate, J Lohman, T F Henderson, The Anzac Racing Syndicat | Zac Butcher | 3:15.6 |
| 2014 | May | Elios | Bennett Bloodstock Ltd, C Eynon, M R McKinnon, G Rutledge, B Destounis | John Dunn | 3:17.4 |
| 2013 | May | Christen Me | C J Roberts, V L Purdon | Dexter Dunn | 3:17.7 |
| 2012 | May | Mustang Mach | K Farah, A Kheir, G Braude, M Gordon | Dexter Dunn | 3:18.0 |
| 2011 | May | Franco Emirate | R E Nieper | Jim Curtin | 3:18.0 |
| 2010 | May | Tintin In America | ATC Trot 2008 Syndicate | David Butcher | 3:15.8 |
| 2009 | May | Auckland Reactor | Auckland Reactor Ltd | Mark Purdon | 3:18.8 |
| 2008 | May | Gotta Go Cullen | I D Dobson | Tony Herlihy | 3:22.9 |
| 2007 | May | Monkey King | Cavalla Bloodstock Limited | Steven Reid | 3:23.9 |
| 2006 | May | Mainland Banner | I D Dobson, S J Dobson, Lynne Umar | Ricky May | 3:23.5 |
| 2005 | April | Mi Muchacho | R C Anderson, Ms P C Larsen | Peter Ferguson | 3:23.5 |
| 2004 | April | Elsu | Mrs J Walters/Double Up Synd/Est D Hudson/Mrs P Small | David Butcher | 3:22.2 |
| 2003 | May | Just An Excuse | O Haines, Mrs I K Haines | Todd Mitchell | 3:22.0 |
| 2002 | April | Young Rufus | H Manolitsis, V, T & W Lynch, G J Carey, K R Hyslop | Mark Purdon | 3:21.4 |
| 2001 | March | Tupelo Rose | G L Banks, M J Hanover, J D Curtin | Peter Jones | 3:23.6 |
| 2000 | March | Pic Me Pockets | H R Bosher | Tony Herlihy | 3:19.8 |
| 1999 | April | Homin Hosed | Mrs M A Macey, B L Macey | Todd Mitchell | 3:23.1 |
| 1998 | May | OK Royal | J W Smolenski, M J Ward | Jack Smolenski | 3:20.6 |
| 1997 | April | Agua Caliente | D S Short, Mrs D E J Short, Mrs D E Woods, Miss S M Short | Glen Wolfenden | 3:24.7 |
| 1996 | April | Decision Time | J M Ward | James Stormont | 3:22.3 |
| 1995 | April | Rain Again | B C Madsen | Neil Brady | 3:23.0 |
| 1994 | April | Montana Vance | J B Hart, Mrs K J Purdon, J B Ede, D H Sixton | Tony Herlihy | 3:23.0 |
| 1993 | March | Chokin | Pacers Australia Synd, M Joyce, J Loughnan, B De Boer | Tony Herlihy | 3:23.3 |
| 1992 | April | Abdias | J Butcher, Mrs C M Butcher | Philip Butcher | 3:27.0 |
| 1991 | April | Christopher Vance | R R Reid, Lorna Reid Syndicate, Mrs J C Reid | Tony Herlihy | 3:19.5 |
| 1990 | March | Alert Fulla | J Friedhof | Maurice McKendry | 3:25.8 |
| 1989 | March | Dillon Dean | D P Dwyer, Mrs H M C Burley | Colin De Filippi | 3:22.7 |
| 1988 | February | Rostriever Hanover | I A Munro, Mrs A H Munro | Patrick O'Reilly | 3:23.5 |
| 1986 | December | Trident | The Horseplayers Syndicate | John Hay | 3:25.8 |
| 1985 | December | Placid Victor | Mrs L G Wilson | Maurice McKendry | 3:23.2 |
| 1984 | December | Roydon Glen | R A McKenzie | W F Fletcher | 3:25.4 |
| 1983 | December | Nostradamus | W J Francis & P I Renwick | P N Jones | 3:32.4 |
| 1982 | December | Hilarious Guest | M G Vermeulen | Peter Wolfenden | 3:26.2 |
| 1981 | December | Melton Monarch | J S Dalgety | B Purdon | 3:26.5 |
| 1980 | December | John Tudor | H T & A P Dodds & B C Newton | T H Knowles | 3:29.3 |
| 1979 | December | Tempest Tiger | P K Ryder | J W Smolenski | 3:27.9 |
| 1978 | March | Sapling | G C Cruickshank & R Given | H W Skinner | 3:26.4 |
| 1978 | December | Locarno | B J & E J Francis | R D Butt | 3:34.6 |
| 1977 | March | Stanley Rio | W J Francis & G B & J B Noble | J B Noble | 3:28.4 |
| 1976 | March | Forto Prontezza | Mrs E & A R J McNaught | H W Skinner | 3:29.2 |
| 1975 | March | Josias | J & Mrs C M Butcher | R F Mitchell | 3:29.6 |
| 1974 | March | Speedy Guest | W F Woolley | J W Smolenski | 3:28.8 |
| 1973 | March | Tonton Macoute | N M Allcock & W E Ross | A K Holmes | 3:10 |
| 1972 | March | Scottish Warrior | R A McKenzie | C S Hunter | 3:10.2 |
| 1970 | December | Sam Tryax | Mrs & R C Whitford | B J Anderson | 3:11.6 |
| 1969 | December | Western Ridge | T E Renshaw | R J Weatherley | 3:14.2 |
| 1968 | December | Bewitched | G B Noble | J B Noble | 2:55.8 |
| 1967 | December | Governor Frost | C Hadley | Peter Wolfenden | 2:55.4 |
Other major races
References
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