Karaka Millions 2YO
Karaka Millions 2YO
Betting Guide
| Date: | January 24, 2026 |
| Location: | Ellerslie Racecourse |
| Prize Money: | NZ$1,000,000 |
| Distance: | 1200m |
With a prize pool of $1 million, the Karaka Millions 2YO is one of New Zealand’s richest horse races. Only two-year-olds purchased from the Karaka Horse Sales are eligible.
First run in 2008 at Ellerslie, the 1200m feature has increased in popularity with trainers, owners and punters – especially with Australian-based connections.
The title has gone to Australian trainers on three occasions with Sister Havana, Ockham’s Razor and Hardline. The Karaka Million is so popular that trainers from around Australasia are buying horses specifically for the late-January feature.
Betting on the Karaka Million is available throughout the summer months as the final field starts to take shape.
2026 Karaka Millions 2YO Betting Odds
The 2026 Karaka Millions 2YO Betting Odds are currently unavailable.
Best Karaka Millions bookmakers
All of our Australian-based online bookmakers offer betting on the Karaka Millions 2YO in New Zealand.
Being a race which attracts attention on both sides of the Tasman, the bookmakers know how important it is to frame early markets for the Ellerslie feature.
All-in betting is available in the months leading up to the race and final field betting will be available during the week of the race.
Best Karaka Millions 2YO Bookmakers
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Latest Karaka Millions 2YO News
2026 Karaka Millions 2YO Field
HorseBetting will update this page when the 2026 Karaka Millions 2YO final field is released.
Previous Karaka Millions 2YO Field
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Landlock Cody Cole Rory Hutchings 14 57.0kg 2 Toretto Hollie Wynyard Ryan Elliot 16 57.0kg 3 To Bravery Born Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Blake Shinn 2 57.0kg 4 Vega For Luck Ben & Ryan Foote Vinnie Colgan 3 57.0kg 5 Hello Romeo Ben, Will & JD Hayes Matt Cartwright 7 57.0kg 6 Romanoff Pam Gerard Kevin Stott 13 57.0kg 7 Daylight Robbery Gavin Sharrock Warren Kennedy 9 57.0kg 8 In The Air Roydon Bergerson 11 57.0kg 9 Too Sweet Roydon Bergerson Michael McNab 15 55.0kg 10 La Dorada Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Craig Williams 5 55.0kg 11 Abbakiss Bryce Newman Sam Weatherley 12 55.0kg 12 Sierra Leone Hollie Wynyard George Rooke 4 55.0kg 13 Miss Ziggy Andrew Carston Sam Spratt 6 55.0kg 14 Belle Du Monde Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Wiremu Pinn 8 55.0kg 15(e) Dare To ProisirMark Walker & Sam BergersonCraig Grylls1057.0kgNo. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Beau Dazzler Tony & Maddysen Sears Robbie Dolan 14 57kg 2 So Naive Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley Joe Doyle 8 57kg 3 Poetic Champion Tony Pike Craig Grylls 15 57kg 4 Cool ‘N’ Fast Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Opie Bosson 4 57kg 5 Savaglee Michael Moroney & Pam Gerard Mark Zahra 2 57kg 6 MaracatuMark Walker & Sam BergersonBlake Shinn1157kg7 When Stars Align Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Michael McNab 9 57kg 8 Full Force Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard Ryan Elliot 12 57kg 9 Force Of Law Michael Moroney & Pam Gerard Matthew Cameron 5 57kg 10 Bellatrix Star Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Warren Kennedy 6 55kg 11 Velocious Stephen Marsh James McDonald 7 55kg 12 Sunrise John Bary Wiremu Pinn 13 55kg 13 Macaluso Andrew Forsman Masa Hashizume 10 55kg 14 Hard Attack Steven Cole Sam Spratt 3 55kg 15 Damask Rose (1E) Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Blake Shinn 1 55kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Trobriand Mark Walker Opie Bosson 6 57kg 2 Tokyo Tycoon Mark Walker Craig Zackey 14 57kg 3 Dapper Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard Ryan Elliot 10 57kg 4 Talisker Mark Walker Sam Weatherley 7 57kg 5 Balance Of Power Mark Walker Warren Kennedy 15 57kg 6 Farravallo Paul Richards Wiremu Pinn 3 57kg 7 Impendabelle Tony Pike Michael McNab 5 55kg 8 Ethereal Star Andrew Forsman Damian Lane 3 55kg 9 Believe In Magic Mark Walker Vinnie Colgan 9 55kg 10 Rhetorical Mark Walker Sam Spratt 8 55kg 11 Ulanova Stephen Marsh Craig Grylls 1 55kg 12 Orgullo Clinton Isdale Joe Doyle 12 55kg 13 Shoes Mike Moroney & Pam Gerard Daniel Stackhouse 11 55kg 14 She Turns Heads Mark Walker Jake Bayliss 2 55kg 15 Stickto The OrdersLance O’Sullivan & Andrew ScottN/A455kg
2025 Karaka Millions 2YO result
1st – La Dorada (+240)
2nd – Vega For Luck (+1535)
3rd – Miss Ziggy (+1895)
Recent Karaka Million 2YO winners
- It wouldn’t be Karaka Millions night if the familiar tangerine and blue colours of Te Akau Racing were not front and centre in the finish of one of the two feature events, the Listed Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m). The 2025 edition of the contest proved no difference with promising filly La Dorada extending the Matamata stable’s outstanding record in the race to eight victories with a gritty on pace effort. Leading Victorian rider Craig Williams made the trip across the Tasman to partner the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared daughter of Waikato Stud stallion Super Seth and produced an absolute gem to guide her home. Williams made good use of her handy barrier draw (5) to head forward at the start, disputing the pace with Aussie raider Hello Romeo before easing to a clear lead with 300m to run. Hard up against the fence, La Dorada produced a powerful kick and shot two lengths clear before gamely holding out the late charge of outsiders Vega For Luck and South Island visitor Miss Ziggy who stormed home from second last on the home turn.
- Ellerslie racegoers got to witness expat Kiwi jockey James McDonald have his first ride back on home soil in several years at the 2024 Karaka Millions meeting, and he made an instant impact in front of the sold-out crowd. Sydney-based McDonald had returned across the Tasman to partner the Stephen Marsh-trained filly Velocious in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and he showed why he is revered as one of the world’s best. After jumping away well out of the barriers, McDonald was able to secure the coveted one-one position with Velocious, where she was able to settle beautifully. Entering the straight, McDonald guided his charge three-wide and Velocious was able to reel in the leaders and hit the front with 250m to go. She held out the late challenge of Damask Rose to win by 2.5 lengths, denying Te Akau Racing a record eighth straight victory in the race.
- Unbeaten juvenile Tokyo Tycoon has come from last to score a stunning victory in the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) under an inspired Craig Zackey ride. The Mark Walker-trained son of Satono Aladdin continued Te Akau Racing’s strangehold on the million-dollar feature, with the powerhouse stable having now claimed the past seven runnings. Much of the pre-race build-up had focused on which of the seven Te Akau runners leading jockey Opie Bosson would select, with the star hoop eventually plumping for Trobriand over Tokyo Tycoon once the latter drew wide in barrier 13. South African rider Craig Zackey would be the beneficiary of that decision, picking up the ride on Tokyo Tycoon who had impressed in his two victories at Te Rapa and Pukekohe respectively. After the gelding was tardy into stride, Zackey made the crucial call to take his mount back to last on the rails and ride patiently. The 27-year-old rider was able to extricate Tokyo Tycoon off the fence mid-stretch and the high-class juvenile did the rest, mowing down runner-up Ethereal Star to score by almost a length, with stablemate Trobriand fighting on well for third.
- On a night that generates enormous interest throughout New Zealand it was the familiar tangerine and blue racing colours of Te Akau Racing carried by the Jamie Richards-trained Dynastic who scooped the lion’s share of the NZD$1million prize pool for owners in the Karaka Million 2YO. Rider Opie Bosson was at his brilliant best as he got every ounce of effort out of Dynastic in the last 100m to draw clear of the game Wolverine and win by a length and a half with his stablemate Fellini running on resolutely to claim third. The victory provided Richards and the Te Akau Racing stable with a sixth consecutive victory in the race
- A brilliant performance by On The Bubbles, chased home by three of his stablemates, has added another chapter to trainer Jamie Richards and the Te Akau Racing team’s incredible dominance of the DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m).T he undefeated Brazen Beau gelding overcame a horror draw for an emphatic victory at Ellerslie on Saturday, scoring by a length and three-quarters from stablemates Sneaky Shark, Avonallo and Sophisticardo. Richards and the Te Akau syndication juggernaut have now won the Karaka Million 2YO five years in a row, and unprecedented clean sweep of the first four placings follows two previous quinellas and a trifecta. “I’ve always said that racing is an opportunity to make dreams into reality,” syndicate manager Karyn Fenton-Ellis said.
- Te Akau Racing’s stranglehold on the Karaka Million two-year-old race has extended to its fourth consecutive year with Cool Aza Beel taking out the million-dollar feature at Ellerslie. New Zealand’s racing powerhouse began its run with Melody Belle in 2017 and followed with Avantage and Probabeel. “It’s awesome,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “It’s a really great way to start the biggest week of the year for us. Te Akau’s four successive winners have been ridden by Opie Bosson with Cool Aza Beel beating Play That Song and Taroni. “I saw the favourite’s head come up beside me, but I have to give credit to my horse – he gave a really good kick in the straight,” Bosson said. “It’s a great result and a privilege to be part of the Te Akau team.”
- Probabeel was a pre-race favourite heading into the 2019 2YO, but a wide draw saw the horse drift out longer than she probably should have. Settling towards the rear of the field, another Opie Bosson peach saw the filly in the mix when the whips were cracking and ultimately saw her stream away to record a comfortable win.
- Avantage took out the 2018 Karaka Million in stylish fashion. Under a great ride from Opie Bosson the $3 favourite hit the front at the 100m ahead of long-time leader Bocce to record the win coming away. Al Hasa ran into second and the leader into the straight Bocce clung on for third.
- Melody Belle caused an upset in 2017 when winning at odds of $32.40. The Te Akau-raced filly was a winner of only one race from three starts leading into the feature, but after a gun ride from jockey Opie Bosson, the daughter of Commands kicked strongly at the top of the straight and quickly established a big break on the field. The well-favoured Hasahalo closed strongly with Blake Shinn in the saddle, but it wasn’t enough as Melody Belle was clear in front. Read full report.
- Xiong Feng scored its biggest career win in 2016 when winning the Karaka Million. The McKee/Chippendale-trained gelding had good form prior to the race, but paid $11.90 for the win and $2.80 for the place. The son of Iffraaj was ridden by Danielle Johnson and although it didn’t perform on the big stage since that win, it has since been transferred to Singapore where the owners are based.
- Liam Birchley loves targetting the Karaka Million and he scored the riches in 2015 with Hardline. The two-year-old by Showcasing was respected in the betting at $7.80 after showing solid form in Australia, which was good enough to win the feature. It defeated the likes of recent Australian winner Dal Cielo and top New Zealand runner Selfie, in what proved to be a good form guide.
Karaka Million 2YO past winners list
| Karaka Million 2YO Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2025 | La Dorada | Craig Williams | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson |
| 2024 | Velocious | James McDonald | Stephen Marsh |
| 2023 | Tokyo Tycoon | Craig Zackey | Mark Walker |
| 2022 | Dynastic | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2021 | On The Bubbles | Jonathan Parkes | Jamie Richards |
| 2020 | Cool Aza Beel | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2019 | Probabeel | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2018 | Avantage | Opie Bosson | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards |
| 2017 | Melody Belle | Opie Bosson | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards |
| 2016 | Xiong Feng | Danielle Johnson | Stephen McKee |
| 2015 | Hardline | Damian Browne | Liam Birchley |
| 2014 | Vespa | Mark Du Plessis | Johno Benner |
| 2013 | Ruud Awakening | Craig Williams | Stephen Marsh |
| 2012 | Ockham’s Razor | Craig Williams | Anthony Freedman |
| 2011 | Fort Lincoln | Jonathan Riddell | Lisa Latta |
| 2010 | Sister Havana | Stathi Katsidis | Liam Birchley |
| 2009 | The Heckler | Michael Rodd | Murray & Bjorn Baker |
| 2008 | Vincent Mangano | Vinny Colgan | Peter McKay |
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