NZB Sponsorships
In support of the growth and prosperity of New Zealand's thoroughbred industry, New Zealand Bloodstock is the proud sponsor of a host of races around New Zealand, Australia and Asia, including three races forming the richest race meeting on the calendar, the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions (2YO), the $1.5m Karaka Millions 3YO and the $3.5m NZB Kiwi slot race.
Aside from racing, NZB also heavily backs various industry organisations and not-for-profit companies directly or indirectly associated with the industry or thoroughbreds such as the NZ Horse Ambulance Trust, the TiES Series for Thoroughbreds in Equestrian Sports, and Beyond the Barriers.
Karaka Millions
The NZB Karaka Millions Series is our sale graduate race series, where just twelve short months after the yearlings make their sale ring debut, they are eligible to compete in the lucrative $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO race and another twelve months later they will are able to contest the boosted $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO race. Read more here.
In an exciting new initiative, NZB and NZTR, generously supported by Entain, are delighted to announce the Karaka Millions Mega Maiden Series, which will see $1m in bonuses up for grabs across 40 maiden races each season, for the next three years.
The NZB Kiwi Slot Race
Open to three-year-olds and run over 1500m, The NZB Kiwi - proudly sponsored by New Zealand Bloodstock, is New Zealand's first thoroughbred slot race and is marked as the Southern Hemisphere's richest 3YO race. Held at New Zealand’s racing headquarters, Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, in March each year.
For more information on the NZB Kiwi slot race, click here.
Pearl Series
In a grand show of support for the NZ breeding industry, NZB Insurance has lent its considerable support to New Zealand's Pearl Series providing over $5 million in prizemoney and bonuses across 200 races for fillies and mares around the country.
Read more about the Entain-NZB Insurance Pearl Series here. For registration and details contact the NZTBA here.
NZB Filly of the Year Series
NZB also supports fillies racing in New Zealand through sponsorship of the prestigious Filly of the Year Series and Southern Filly of the Year Series, where the country's three-year-old fillies battle it out for the coveted crown.
During the Filly of the Years Series, eleven races throughout the season are keenly contested and with significant prizes for the owner, trainer and breeder of the ultimate Series winner.
The NZB Filly of the Year winner immediately becomes a highly valuable breeding proposition and earns her connections $50,000 in bonus cheques including $10,000 for her breeder, $10,000 for her trainer and $30,000 for her owner.
The Southern Series consists of four stakes races in the South Island, with the NZB Southern Filly of the Year trophy presented to connections at the South Island Awards in September. The winners also receive an insurance policy from NZB Insurance to the value of $50,000 + GST.
Learn more about the Filly of the Year and Southern Filly of the Year.
2024 Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series
New Zealand Bloodstock is pleased to announce eight Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series race sponsorships this year. Incentivised prize packages will be awarded to domestic trainers this Spring.
Introduced by NZB four years ago, this Series seeks to support domestic trainers desiring to attend and purchase from the Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs, held this year on the 20 and 21 November.
For this upcoming 2024-25 season, three races will commence in each of the Northern and Central regions, and two races will take place in the South. The Series will begin on Saturday 7 September in Hawke's Bay and will continue through till Saturday 9 November, with the final meeting taking place in Riccarton.
The winning trainer of each race will receive a prize package including an NZB Insurance Voucher, an NZB Travel Voucher towards the 2024 Ready to Run Sale, a Dunstan Feed Voucher, and a Transport Voucher, courtesy of Majestic Horse Floats.
All prizes are conditional on the winning trainer attending the 2024 Ready to Run Sale and purchasing a 2YO at the Sale.
For more information about the Series, contact Jim.Bruford@nzb.co.nz
Off the Track & Not for Profit
NZB is proud to support a number of intiatives within the racing community, including being a national equine welfare partner to the NZ Horse Ambulance Trust. The New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust operates a national fleet of horse ambulances, equipped with support and recovery equipment to assist in the provision of critical care to horses injured while competing in equine sports.
A purpose-built horse ambulance is on track at every thoroughbred race meeting and trial, and harness race meeting in NZ. Find out more about their work here.
NZB also proudly sponsored the Best Newcomer Awards, formed as part of the NZTR and Equestrian Sports NZ wider show series, Thoroughbreds in Equestrian Sports (TiES).
The NZB Newcomer Award recognises the success and versatility of thoroughbreds in equestrian sports for those newly registered with ESNZ (first year competing) with the eligible disciplines including dressage, eventing, showjumping and show hunter.
Read more about this season's winners here.
Off the Tracker Spotlight - Scott Base
It’s no secret that New Zealand Bloodstock is “Where Winning Begins” and Scott Base (NZ) (Dalghar) is a great representation of this. Having come through the 2016 Select Yearling Sale at Karaka on account of Brighthill Farm, he was purchased by Chris Rutten Bloodstock for $70,000.
Scott Base has not only excelled on the track with his total winnings being over $700,000, including taking out the $1 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic, but now also off the track with his life after racing proving just as successful. Julie Wylie-Parkinson has owned the gelding since his retirement from racing in 2020. Since then he has gained quite the reputation in the showing and dressage scene proving just how versatile the thoroughbred breed is, and in 2022 he won the Gavelhouse.com Best Presented and Conditioned class as part of Beyond the Barriers.
NZB and NZB Airfreight are a proud sponsor of Scott Base in his second career. Check out the interview with Julie and Scott Base about life after racing.
NZ Horse Ambulance Trust
New Zealand Bloodstock are proud to be sponsors of the New Zealand Horse Ambulance.
The New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust is a registered charity that was set up in 2016 to assist horses injured while competing at race meetings and equestrian events, through the provision and operation of a national fleet of horse ambulances. As of 2022 there are eight equine ambulances in service and the Trust has raised the funds for one more unit, which will enable all race meetings and equestrian events across the country to be covered.
To learn more about the New Zealand Horse Ambulance, or about how you can donate please visit www.horseambulance.co.nz.