Karaka Millions 3YO Classic
Karaka Millions 3YO Classic
Betting Guide
| Date: | Saturday, January 25, 2025 |
| Location: | Ellerslie Racecourse |
| Prize Money: | NZ$1,500,000 |
| Distance: | 1600m |
The Karaka Millions 3YO Classic is a recent addition to the Karaka Million raceday held in January each year.
The 1600m event is restricted to horses who have been sold in the National Yearling Sales Series 24 months prior.
This race has been run alongside the Karaka Millions 2YO event for two-year-olds since 2010 and has been used as a launching pad towards Group 1 races in Australia during the autumn.
Formerly named the Karaka 3YO Mile, the stakes quadrupled from $250,000 in 2012 to the inaugural $1 million running in 2018, before being upped further to $1.5million in 2024.
2025 Karaka Millions 3YO Classic Betting Odds
Odds for the Karaka Millions 3YO Classic as of January 22, 2025 – Courtesy of Neds
- Damask Rose Win $3.90 Place $1.75
- Bourbon Proof Win $4.20 Place $1.75
- Yaldi Win $6.50 Place $2.30
- Tuxedo Win $7.50 Place $2.50
- Dealt With Win $8.50 Place $2.80
- Prosegur Win $10.00 Place $3.10
- Romilly Win $17.00 Place $4.50
- He’s Lucid Win $23.00 Place $5.50
- Kiwi Skyhawk Win $23.00 Place $5.50
- Fun Never Sets Win $23.00 Place $5.50
- Retrostar Win $41.00 Place $8.50
- Balsan Win $41.00 Place $8.50
- Billy Blinx Win $71.00 Place $13.00
Best bookmakers for Karaka Millions 3YO Classic betting
All regulated online bookmakers in Australia and New Zealand will offer odds on the Karaka Millions 3YO Classic, but only a few of them will run futures betting on the race.
The following bookmakers will have form and markets for the Karaka Millions 3YO Classic:
Best Karaka Millions 3YO Classic Bookmakers
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Latest Karaka Millions 3YO Classic News
2025 Karaka Millions 3YO Classic Field
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Previous Karaka Millions 3YO Classic Field
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Pendragon Michael Moroney & Pam Gerard Mark Zahra 4 57kg 2 Tokyo Tycoon Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Opie Bosson 3 57kg 3 Talisker Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Warren Kennedy 8 57kg 4 To Catch A Thief Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall Robbie Dolan 7 57kg 5 Lupo Solitario Danica Guy Ryan Elliot 12 57kg 6 Just As Sharp Team Rogerson Craig Grylls 14 57kg 7 Geriatrix Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott Vinnie Colgan 6 57kg 8 The Weapon Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott Matthew Cameron 2 57kg 9 Royal Destroyer John Bary Joe Doyle 13 57kg 10 Molly Bloom Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott Blake Shinn 10 55kg 11 Impendabelle Tony Pike Michael McNab 9 55kg 12 Orchestral Roger James & Robert Wellwood James McDonald 1 55kg 13 Ethereal Star Andrew Forsman Masa Hashizume 15 55kg 14 Glamour Tycoon Stephen Marsh Sam Spratt 11 55kg 15 Grande Gallo Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott Wiremu Pinn 5 55kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Wild Night Mark Walker Opie Bosson 2 57kg 2 Desert Lightning Peter & Dawn Williams Vinnie Colgan 9 57kg 3 Sacred Satono Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley Michael McNab 12 57kg 4 Dynastic Mark Walker Craig Grylls 3 57kg 5 Devastate Andrew Forsman Joe Doyle 4 57kg 6 The Intimidator Andrew Forsman Damian Lane 10 57kg 7 Channel Surfer Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall Daniel Stackhouse 11 57kg 8 Khafre Ralph Manning Jasmine Fawcett 6 57kg 9 Legarto Ken & Bev Kelso Ryan Elliot 1 55kg 10 Prowess Roger James & Robert Wellwood Warren Kennedy 5 55kg 11 Wessex Andrew Forsman Craig Zackey 8 55kg 12 Three Ninety Shaun & Emma Clotworthy Masa Hashizume 7 55kg
2024 Karaka Millions 3YO Classic result
1st – Orchestral (+210)
2nd – Pendragon (+130)
3rd – Just As Sharp (+860)
Recent Karaka Millions 3YO Classic winners
- Roger James and James McDonald teamed up to win the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in 2012 with Silent Achiever, and the pair reunited at the Auckland venue 12 years later to take out New Zealand’s richest race, the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m). Fresh off taking out the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) with the Stephen Marsh-trained Velocious, McDonald was favoured to secure a Karaka Millions double when he jumped aboard Orchestral in the three-year-old contest for James and training partner Robert Wellwood. The daughter of Savabeel was slow to jump from her ace barrier, however, McDonald kept his composure and the pair quickly regained their deficit to settle midfield. Turning for home, McDonald was able to find a passage between runners and Orchestral responded to his urgings down the straight, reeling in pacemaker Pendragon with 100m to go, and dashed away to a 3.5-length victory.
- The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained filly Prowess prevailed in a strong edition of the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Pukekohe. Never out of the money in six starts, the classy daughter of Proisir had run out a ready winner of the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) at Te Rapa on New Year’s Day and was able to repeat the dose in the million-dollar feature. Ridden by Warren Kennedy, Prowess enjoyed a good run throughout, with key rival and eventual runner-up Wild Night to her inside for much of the race. The free-striding Prowess was put into the race before the home turn and went on to score by 0.8 length from Wild Night, with Desert Lightning close up in third. Race favourite Legarto lost her unbeaten tag but none of her admirers when closing into fourth after enduring a checkered-passage.
- After snaring a sixth consecutive Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) with Dynastic just two races earlier, Richards was confidently expected to do the double with three-year-old On The Bubbles, who started a $1.50 favourite in the race. Last season’s winner of the two-year-old feature had a red-hot Opie Bosson aboard, but it all turned to custard for the combination when they were trapped three-wide outside the leaders after making a lightning move to try and snatch pacemaking duties at the 800m. Just as On The Bubbles started to weaken and an upset appeared on the cards it was three-year-old Pins filly Pin Me Up who reignited the Te Akau Racing challenge in the race as she strode to the front for rider Sam Weatherley. Chased hard by Tutukaka, Karman Line and Verona, Pin Me Up held them all out by a neck to score her second and biggest career victory.
- In what can only be described as an almighty battle, it was Aegon who kept his undefeated record intact when getting the better of Amarelinha in the 2021 Karaka Million 3YO Classic. Although the million-dollar race attracted a full field of 17 three-year-olds, the build-up was completely dominated by these two horses. Aegon added the Karaka Million 3YO Classic to his record, having won all three of his career starts prior to this, including the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. The two race favourites went stride for stride inside the final furlong, with the Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained Aegon getting his down where it counted in a real ding dong affair.
- Having won the Karaka Million 2YO race 12 months prior, the Jamie Richards-trained Probabeel became the first horse in history to complete the 2YO & 3YO Karaka Million double. The star filly was sent around as the short-priced favourite ($1.60) and on the back of yet another perfect steer from Opie Bosson, she simply never looked like getting beaten. He angled Probabeel into the clear in the straight from well back and she responded to hold her rivals at bay by 1.5 lengths.
- Having not ridden at Ellerslie Racecourse for three years, the now Sydney-based James McDonald took out the Karaka 3YO event when lifting Long Leaf across the line. Having gone stride for stride with The Real Beel inside the final 100m, it was the Australian for the Lindsey Park operation who got the better of his rival, aided by the James McDonald factor.
- Having won the Karaka Million 2YO Classic in 2014 with Vespa in 2014, it was John Benner & Holly Wynyard who trained Scott Base to victory in the inaugural Karaka Million 3YO Classic. Despite being sent around as a $22 chance with bookmakers, Scott Base produced a stunning turn of foot, to take out the first edition of the race for three-year-olds.
Karaka Millions 3YO Classic past winners list
| Karaka Millions 3YO Classic Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2024 | Orchestral | James McDonald | Roger James & Robert Wellwood |
| 2023 | Prowess | Warren Kennedy | Roger James & Robert Wellwood |
| 2022 | Pin Me Up | Sam Weatherley | Jamie Richards |
| 2021 | Aegon | Leith Innes | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
| 2020 | Probabeel | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2019 | Long Leaf | James McDonald | David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig |
| 2018 | Scott Base | Rosie Myers | Johno Benner & Holly Wynyard |
| 2017 | Volpe Veloce | Michael Cameron | Graham Richardson |
| 2016 | Raghu | Michael McNab | Tony Pike |
| 2015 | Volkstok’n’barrell | Matthew Cameron | Donna & Dean Logan |
| 2014 | Spellbinder | Matthew Cameron | Jason Bridgman |
| 2013 | Choice Bro | Jonathan Riddell | John Sargent |
| 2012 | Rock ‘n’ Pop | Matthew Cameron | Jason Bridgman |
| 2011 | Banchee | James McDonald | John Sargent |
| 2010 | Joey Massino | Sam Spratt | Peter McKay |
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