New Zealand Stakes
New Zealand Stakes
Group One Betting Guide
| Date: | March 8, 2025 |
| Location: | Ellerslie Racecourse |
| Prize Money: | $450,000 |
| Distance: | 2000m |
The Group 1 New Zealand Stakes is a 2000m event traditionally held at Ellerslie racecourse each year, at weight-for-age level, with it worth $320,000.
It is raced on the same day as two of New Zealand’s other most important races: the Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes and the Auckland Cup.
The New Zealand Stakes is notable for the many winners which have a great history in the Cox Plate, some of those include Bonecrusher, Surfers Paradise, Solvit and Ocean Park.
The New Zealand Stakes is a “good horses” race with many a superstar Kiwi finding their way onto the honour roll.
Although registered as the New Zealand Stakes, the event is run as the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes, in honour of one of the greatest horses of all time.
2025 New Zealand Stakes odds
Markets for the 2025 New Zealand Stakes are currently unavailable.
Top New Zealand Stakes bookmakers
The New Zealand Stakes generates betting interest from the likes of Australian, Japanese and Hong Kong punters, so bookmakers know how important framing an early market can be.
Popular races like the New Zealand Stakes are attractive to futures punters who are hoping to lock in the big value on offer. Bookmakers will also offer fixed-odds win and place markets when the field is confirmed.
The online bookmakers listed below have markets available for the New Zealand Stakes. If there are no odds listed, bookmakers can be contacted and odds on your desired runner will be given.
New Zealand Stakes Bookies
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Latest New Zealand Stakes News
2025 New Zealand Stakes Field
HorseBetting will update this page when the 2025 New Zealand Stakes final field is released.
Previous New Zealand Stakes fields
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Sharp ‘N’ Smart Team Rogerson Vinnie Colgan 5 59kg 2 PunturaRobbie PattersonMatthew Cameron1059kg3 Ladies Man Allan Sharrock Michael McNab 4 59kg 4 One Bold Cat Robbie Patterson Craig Grylls 11 59kg 5 El Vencedor Stephen Marsh Joe Doyle 6 59kg 6 Skyman Stephen Marsh Sam Spratt 7 59kg 7 Mali Ston Darryn & Briar Weatherley Sam Weatherley 3 59kg 8 Riodini Nigel Tiley Masa Hashizume 9 59kg 9 Legarto Ken & Bev Kelso Ryan Elliot 2 57kg 10 Aquacade Lance Noble Warren Kennedy 8 57kg 11 Manifique Peter Didham Kozzi Asano 1 57kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Defibrillate Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall Warren Kennedy 6 59kg 2 True Enough Andrew Forsman Jonathan Riddell 3 59kg 3 Chase Stephen Nickalls Kate Hercock 2 59kg 4 The Mayor Mike Moroney & Pam Gerard Cameron Lammas 1 59kg 5 Asterix Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott Joe Doyle 4 58.5kg 6 Campionessa Mark Walker Opie Bosson 8 57kg 7 La Crique Simon & Katrina Alexander Craig Grylls 5 56.5kg 8 Prowess Roger James & Robert Wellwood Michael McNab 7 52kg
2024 New Zealand Stakes result
1st – El Vencedor (+1900)
2nd – Legarto (-2500)
3rd – Ladies Man (+170)
Recent New Zealand Stakes winners
- An inch perfect front running ride by Irishman Joe Doyle paved the way for outsider El Vencedor to upset the applecart in the Group 1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. All the smart money was on class four-year-old mare Legarto ($1.20) who had taken out the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at her last start. Those investments looked well placed early in the piece as Ryan Elliot settled her beautifully in third as she stalked El Vencedor and Doyle, who set up a tidy pace in front. Approaching the home corner, it was evident that El Vencedor was travelling sweetly in his first start beyond 1600m, however Legarto had him in her sights as she switched off the rail and set out to bridge the three-length margin the leader had established with 300m to run. Despite making ground steadily, Legarto couldn’t pull back El Vencedor who kicked strongly for Doyle and powered to the line to win by half a length with Ladies Man finishing resolutely for third, albeit four lengths in arrears of the first two.
- Three-year-old filly Prowess showed a combination of class and guts to upstage her older rivals in the 2023 Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2050m) at Pukekohe. After racing handy to the speed set by veteran galloper The Mayor, Prowess cruised to the front at the top of the straight. Despite laying out significantly under pressure, Prowess dug deep to cross the line with a neck advantage over runner-up Campionessa. Winning trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood, along with successful jockey Michael McNab, were forced to defend their victory in the stewards’ room, with connections of the runner-up lodging a protest after a bump late in the piece. Third-placed La Crique and fifth-placed Defibrillate also suffered interference at the hands of the winner, but after viewing all angles the judicial committee settled on maintaining the original placings, with it clear the wayward Prowess was powering to the line too well for the vanquished. James and Wellwood had made the bold call to bypass last Saturday’s Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in favour of a tilt at the elite level against older rivals over a preferred 2000m distance, and that decision was vindicated with an all-important first Group One affixed to the record of the daughter of Proisir.
- Classy mare Coventina Bay was up to all of her cantankerous tricks in the pre-race buildup at Ellerslie, but when it came time for business she was at her professional best as she claimed her second Group 1 victory. The Robbie Patterson-trained six-year-old had threatened to win at the highest level for quite some time and achieved that goal when she downed race rivals Vernanme and The Chosen One in the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa last month. In a mirror image of that result the daughter of Shamexpress produced another powerful home straight sprint to burst past Vernanme in the final 100m to win going away by a length with The Chosen One closing off strongly from well back to take third.
- Champion mare Melody Belle created a piece of New Zealand racing history at Ellerslie when she strode to victory in the 2021 Group 1 New Zealand Stakes, her fourteenth win at the elite level, to surpass the mighty Sunline for the most Group One wins in the modern era for a New Zealand-trained galloper. The six-year-old daughter of Commands had attracted her share of doubters as to whether she could produce another Group One victory after being beaten at Te Rapa over the same distance in the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) last month. Never a truer word has been spoken than the age-old adage that form is temporary and class is permanent as the dual New Zealand Horse of The Year gave her seven rivals, including runner-up and stablemate Avantage, a galloping lesson as she stormed home for rider Troy Harris to win going away by a length and spark some emotional scenes in the Ellerslie birdcage.
- In what is a familiar sight it was the tangerine and blue colours of Te Akau Racing at the head of affairs once again as the Matamata operation made it consecutive Group 1 victories at Ellerslie in the 2021 NZ Stakes. Quality mare Avantage gave punters another taste of her versatility and genuine all-round class as she took out the Group 1 New Zealand Stakes in her first start beyond 1600m, barely an hour after Cool Aza Beel had taken out the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) two races earlier for Matamata trainer Jamie Richards. The Fastnet Rock four-year-old had won one of New Zealand’s premier sprint contests just three starts ago when taking out the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham while last start she scored her third career Group 1 victory in the Group 1 WFA Classic (1600m). Some pundits felt a step up to 2000m could find her out but the distance challenge never looked a factor once regular pilot Opie Bosson found clear air in the home straight as Avantage dashed away from a quality line-up to record career Group 1 win number four to go with her Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) title as a two-year-old.
- Outstanding mare Melody Belle capped a wonderful season when she beat a quality field in the 2019 New Zealand Stakes. The victory was Group 1 triumph number five in a season that has seen the Commands four-year-old win six of her eights starts and more than $700,000 in prizemoney. The victory also allowed regular rider Opie Bosson to establish a new record of 63 Group 1 wins by a Kiwi rider, after he equalled former record-holder Lance O’Sullivan with success on Yourdeel in the Sistema Stakes (1200m) one race earlier. Arguably this win was the best of an action-packed season for the Jamie Richards-trained mare as she defeated a field that included seven other Group 1 winners. She had to do it the hard way as she looped the field with second favourite Danzdanzdance before they set down to a two-horse war for the length of the Ellerslie home straight. Finding something extra in the last 50m, Melody Belle stuck her neck in front to defeat a game Danzdanzdance, with Rondinella finishing a promising third at her first attempt in elite company.
- Saint Emilion coasted along in his customary role in front under jockey Leith Innes and he held a strong gallop to the post for the 13th win of his career in the Group 1 New Zealand Stakes. The grey gelding, who also won this weight-for-age feature in 2016, went straight to the front of the seven-horse field and led for most of the journey. He was briefly headed in the straight by Hello It’s Me , but responded to the urgings of jockey Jonathan Riddell and roared back to win by three-quarters of a length. The winner’s stablemate Lizzie L’Amour ran on late to take second by a nose from Hello It’s Me.
Past New Zealand Stakes winners
| New Zealand Stakes Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2024 | El Vencedor | Joe Doyle | Stephen James |
| 2023 | Prowess | Michael McNab | Roger James & Robert Wellwood |
| 2022 | Coventina Bay | Craig Grylls | Robert Patterson |
| 2021 | Melody Belle | Troy Harris | Jamie Richards |
| 2020 | Avantage | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2019 | Melody Belle | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2018 | Saint Emilion | Leith Innes | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
| 2017 | Lizzie L’Amour | Matt Cameron | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
| 2016 | Volkstok’n’barrell | Vincent Colgan | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs |
| 2015 | Sakhee’s Soldier | Matt Cameron | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
| 2014 | Silent Achiever | Vincent Colgan | Roger James |
| 2013 | Ocean Park | Leith Innes | Gary Hennessy |
| 2012 | Scarlett Lady | James McDonald | Graeme & Debbie Rogerson |
| 2011 | The Party Stand | Opie Bosson | Roger James |
| 2010 | Vosne Romanee | Opie Bosson | Jeff Lynds |
| 2009 | Maco’reilly | Hayden Tinsley | David Haworth |
| 2008 | Sir Slick | Bruce Herd | Graeme Nicholson & Paul Allbon |
| 2007 | Gaze | Mark Du Plessis | Roger James & Paul Mirabelli |
| 2006 | Kristov | Hayden Tinsley | Phillip Stevens |
| 2005 | Xcellent | Michael Coleman | Mike & Paul Moroney |
| 2004 | Lashed | Opie Bosson | Graeme Rogerson & Stephen Autridge |
| 2003 | Deebee Belle | Andrew Calder | Pam & Tony Gillies |
| 2002 | Armstrong | Bruce Herd | Jeff Lynds |
| 2001 | Tall Poppy | David Walsh | Noel Eales |
| 2000 | Showella | Eddie Wilkinson | Frank & Craig Ritchie |
New Zealand Stakes Past Winners Pre 2000
| New Zealand Stakes Past Winners Pre 2000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | ||
| 1999 | The Message | ||
| 1998 | Fayreform | ||
| 1997 | Magnet Bay | ||
| 1996 | Roysyn | ||
| 1995 | Captain Cour | ||
| 1994 | Solvit | ||
| 1993 | Solvit | ||
| 1992 | Lurestina | ||
| 1991 | Surfers Paradise | ||
| 1990 | Riverina Charm | ||
| 1989 | The Gentry | ||
| 1988 | Bonecrusher | ||
| 1987 | Tidal Light | ||
| 1986 | Bonecrusher | ||
| 1985 | The Filbert | ||
| 1984 | McGinty | ||
| 1983 | McGinty | ||
| 1982 | Golden Rhapsody | ||
| 1981 | Pays Anne | ||
| 1980 | Arbre Chene | ||
| 1979 | La Mer | ||
| 1978 | Serendiper | ||
| 1977 | Balmerino | ||
| 1976 | Black Rod | ||
| 1975 | Hi Bing | ||
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