WFA Classic
WFA Classic
Group One Betting Guide
| Date: | Saturday, February 22, 2025 |
| Location: | Otaki Racecourse |
| Prize Money: | $400,000 |
| Distance: | 1600m |
Otaki-Maori Classic (WFA Classic) is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for sprinters at Otaki Racecourse run over 1600m each February.
Some of New Zealand’s greatest milers have taking out the event, with the likes of Avantage (2020, 2021), Melody Belle (2019), Darci Brahman (2006) and Rough Habit (1991) tasting success in the WFA Classic.
Darci’s Brahma’s win in the race was his last start before going on to finish second to Apache Cat in the 2006 Australian Guineas.
The Group 1 BCD Sprint (1400m) is one of the more reliable form references leading into the race, with plenty of horses tackling the 1400m Group 1 first-up before getting to the mile second-up from a spell.
2025 WFA Classic betting odds
Markets for the 2025 WFA Classic are currently unavailable.
Best WFA Classic bookmakers
All of the top online bookmakers listed below offer all-in and fixed odds betting on the major races out of New Zealand.
The WFA Classic is one of New Zealand’s prized events and most betting sites will feature markets on the event.
The following bookmakers currently have markets available for the WFA Classic.
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Latest WFA Classic News
Katrina & Simon Alexander celebrated one of their most satisfying moments, with La Crique’s triumphant turnaround in the Group 1 ...
Vinnie Colgan will trek down to Otaki on Saturday to partner exciting four-year-old Desert Lightning in the Otaki-Maori WFA Classic ...
Ladies Man will compete in the Otaki-Maori WFA Classic this Saturday, but Allan Sharrock is already looking at a potential ...
Trainer Andrew Forsman is looking forward to getting his Group 1 winner Aegon back to a mile at Otaki on ...
Robbie Patterson is enjoying another stellar season and is firmly on target to eclipse the heroics of his stable in ...
Simon & Katrina Alexander's Group One winner La Crique is heading south on Saturday to tackle the Group 1 Otaki-Maori ...
2025 WFA Classic Field
HorseBetting will update this page when the 2025 WFA Classic field is released.
Previous WFA Classic Fields
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Desert Lightning Peter & Dawn Williams Vinnie Colgan 1 59kg 2 Puntura Robbie Patterson Craig Grylls 8 59kg 3 Aegon Andrew Forsman Kozzi Asano 5 59kg 4 Callsign Mav John Bary Jonathan Riddell 2 59kg 5 Ladies Man Allan Sharrock Kate Hercock 4 59kg 6 El Vencedor Stephen Marsh Joe Doyle 10 59kg 7 Chase Stephan Nickalls Ryan Elliot 9 59kg 8 La Crique Simon & Katrina Alexander Matthew Cameron 3 57kg 9 Belclare Lisa Latta Lily Sutherland 6 57kg 10 Lady Telena Kenny Moore Ulrika Holmquist 7 57kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Prise De Fer Mark Walker Jason Laking 3 59kg 2 Perfect Scenario Mark Walker Joe Kamaruddin 5 59kg 3 True EnoughAndrew ForsmanN/A659kg4 Lightning Jack Kelvin & Aimee Tyler Lisa Allpress 8 59kg 5 Chase Stephen Nickalls Jacob Lowry 1 59kg 6 Levante Ken & Bev Kelso Ryan Elliot 2 57kg 7 La Crique Simon & Katrina Alexander Craig Grylls 4 57kg 8 Pride Of Aspen Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard Darryl Bradley 9 57kg 9 Wild Night Mark Walker Michael McNab 7 55kg
2024 WFA Classic result
1st – La Crique (+400)
2nd – Aegon (+170)
3rd – Desert Lightning (-500)
Recent WFA Classic winners
- Katrina and Simon Alexander celebrated one of their most satisfying moments on a racetrack with La Crique’s triumphant turnaround in the Group 1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m). The undisputed star of the Alexanders’ Te Awamutu stable, La Crique had endured a turbulent 12 months since her runner-up finish behind Levante in the same race in February of 2023. Matthew Cameron settled La Crique in fifth along the inside, keeping a close watch on the $2.30 favourite Desert Lightning, who was in an early speed duel before easing back to take a trail behind Belclare. The field moved away from the rail in search of better ground coming towards the home turn, and Cameron cut the corner and went for gold. She scythed through and burst to the lead at the top of the straight, kicking hard and taking command. Aegon chased hard and ate into the margin late in the piece, with Desert Lightning sticking on bravely in third, but La Crique triumphed by a length and a quarter.
- Matamata-trained mare Levante added a fourth Group One victory to her résumé when she defeated another class performer in La Crique to take out the Group 1 WFA Classic (1600m) at Otaki. The two quality mares had been expected to fight out the finish of the feature, with punters unable to separate then in betting as they each started at a $2.80 quote. The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Levante, who had been finishing resolutely in her runs over shorter distances, had given the impression that the mile would be right up her alley. That scenario went to script, with Levante making a fast beginning for regular rider Ryan Elliot, so much so that she could have even led the contest had Elliot so desired. Instead, he opted to settle in behind La Crique and bide his time for a home straight assault, which came as Elliot angled the daughter of Proisir to better going in the middle of the track, after persistent rain had seen the surface downgraded from a Good 4 to a Soft 6. Levante quickly claimed La Crique and despite some resistance from the runner-up, went on to score by three-quarters of a length from La Crique with Chase battling on gamely for third.
- Consistent performer Mascarpone capped a frustrating run of five consecutive placings to claim his first victory at the highest level in the 2022 WFA Classic. The Team Rogerson-trained five-year-old son of Shooting To Win is more commonly known as a high-class sprinting commodity having claimed minor placings in races such as the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) and twice in the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m). Stepping up to the 1600m journey for the first time since finishing unplaced behind the champion mare Probabeel in the 2020 Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m), there were many pundits who doubted his ability to stretch to a mile. Mascarpone found the lead without too much pressure and was beautifully rated by apprentice rider Wiremu Pinn, before angling centre track when rounding the home bend in search of better ground. Chased hard by the Jamie Richards-trained pair of Amarelinha and Brando, Mascarpone found a strong kick in the concluding stages to draw clear and register his eighth career victory at start 26.
- Avantage continued her march into the realms of superstardom when she made it career Group One number eight with a gritty win in the Group 1 WFA Classic. Unbeaten in three starts, all at Group One level, in her current campaign, Avantage was confidently expected to take Otaki’s elite feature on Saturday to make it four in a row and she duly obliged under a confident ride from Opie Bosson. Bosson had the Fastnet Rock mare positioned perfectly outside the pacemaker Deerfield throughout before issuing a confident challenge at the 300m. Kept up to her work by Bosson, Avantage held out a gallant late bid from Callsign Mav, who had tracked all the way and took the victory by half a length with Travelling Light showing her best form of late with a nice run into third.
- Te Akau Racing produced a one-two finish in the Group One Classic at Otaki with Avantage beating Prise De Fer. The Jamie Richards-trained Avantage and Prise De Fer fought it out down the Otaki straight, with the four-year-old mare coming out on top to add to her win in last month’s Group 1 Telegraph. Under a cool ride from Danielle Johnson, Avantage travelled sweetly before creeping along the rail at the 500m. While a number of the day’s winners had come wide in the home straight Avantage gained a critical length on her stablemate. She held Prise de Fer by three-quarters of a length to give Johnson a second Group One win on Avantage.
- Fresh off victory in the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa earlier in the month, the Jamie Richards-trained Melody Belle was confidently expected to prevail despite being dealt a blow earlier in the week when she drew barrier 13 in the 14-horse field. Rider Opie Bosson followed that recipe to the letter as he positioned the mare nicely in behind the speed despite travelling wide for the better part of the first 800m. Melody Belle was travelling easily as she moved into contention before Bosson sent her to the extreme outside to make her challenge. Hitting the front at the 300m mark the glamour mare kept up a powerful run to defeat local galloper Wyndspelle with Takanini visitor Consensus fighting bravely for third. The win took Melody Belle’s career record to ten wins from 19 starts, five of those at Group One level, and over $1.5million in stakes earnings.
- Good things come to those who wait as the connections of Devise found at Hastings. A multiple black type place getter, the mare broke through at the highest level when triumphant in the Group 1 WFA Classic. Devise was given an economical trip behind the pace by Michael Coleman who brought her into contention with a well-timed run in the straight.
WFA Classic past winners list
| WFA Classic Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2024 | La Crique | Matthew Cameron | Simon & Katrina Alexander |
| 2023 | Levante | Ryan Elliot | Ken & Bev Kelso |
| 2022 | Mascarpone | Wiremu Pinn | Graeme & Debbie Rogerson |
| 2021 | Avantage | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2020 | Avantage | Danielle Johnson | Jamie Richards |
| 2019 | Melody Belle | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2018 | Devise | Michael Coleman | Shaun Ritchie |
| 2017 | Kawi | Jason Waddell | Allan Sharrock |
| 2016 | Volkstok’n’barrell | Vincent Colgan | Donna Logan |
| 2015 | Iamishwara | Robert Hannam | Antony Kaye |
| 2014 | Nashville | Jonathan Riddell | Adrian & Harry Bull |
| 2013 | Nashville | Kelly McCulloch | Adrian Bull |
| 2012 | Veyron | Mark Hills | Linda Laing |
| 2011 | Keep The Peace | James McDonald | Shaune Ritchie |
| 2010 | Mufhasa | Samantha Spratt | Shaune Ritchie |
| 2009 | Culminate | Samantha Spratt | Stephen McKee |
| 2008 | Alamosa | Michael Walker | Peter McKay |
| 2007 | Sir Slick | Bruce Herd | Graeme Nicholson |
| 2006 | Darci Brahma | Michael Walker | Mark Walker |
| 2005 | Zvezda | Bruce Herd | Kay Lane |
| 2004 | King’s Chapel | Rhys McLeod | Mark Walker |
| 2003 | Critic | Lance O’Sullivan | Colin Jillings & Richard Yuill |
| 2002 | No Mean City | Damian Browne | John Kiernan |
| 2001 | Star Satire | Mark Du Plessis | Ross Taylor |
| 2000 | Surface | Noel Harris | Noel Eales |
WFA Classic Past Winners Pre 2000
| WFA Classic Past Winners Pre 2000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | ||
| 1999 | Hero | ||
| 1998 | Centre Crest | ||
| 1997 | It’s My Sin | ||
| 1996 | Diablo Girl | ||
| 1995 | Allegro | ||
| 1994 | Lord Tridan | ||
| 1993 | Javelin | ||
| 1992 | Javelin | ||
| 1991 | Rough Habit | ||
| 1990 | Westminster | ||
| 1989 | Poetic Prince | ||
| 1988 | Poetic Prince | ||
| 1987 | Society Bay | ||
| 1986 | Peat | ||
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