The $1m Karaka Million is fast approaching with just over a week to go before the two-year-olds will do battle at Ellerslie.
Here are some of the important details that you need to know about New Zealand’s richest race:
The Important Stuff:
· Karaka Million Twilight Meeting takes place at the Auckland Racing Club’s Ellerslie racecourse on Sunday 25 January.
· Gates open at 3pm with the first race at 5.09pm and the Karaka Million at 7.20pm. The last race runs at 7.55pm.
· Nominations close on Tuesday 20 January at 12 noon with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.
· Acceptances into the field must be declared by 10am Wednesday 21 January with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.
·The final field of 14 starters is determined according to prizemoney won around New Zealand and Australia in the lead up to the race. The up-to-date Order of Entry can be viewed here.
·Trainers are welcome to bring their horses to Ellerslie Racecourse on Tuesday 20 January fortrackwork . Interested parties need to contact Butch Castles to confirm ([email protected]).
·The Barrier Draw for the Karaka Million and Karaka 3YO Mile will take place live on Radio Trackside at 12 noon on Wednesday 21 January with Peter Early and Butch Castles.
· Entries for horses bought at Karaka 2015 is at a fee of NZ$1750 plus GST, which includes the $1 million Karaka Million in 2016, a $250,000 Karaka 3YO Mile in 2017, and the $100,000 Karaka Stayers Cup for the remainder of their career.
· Tickets for the range of hospitality options – including the Karaka Clubhouse on the upper tiers of the Champagne Lawn – can be purchased direct from www.ellerslie.co.nz.
The Fun Stuff:
·The Karaka Million is one of the form races. In its seven-year history, six of the seven Karaka Million fields have produced the winner(s) of either/both the 2YO Group 1 races in New Zealand , the Diamond Stakes and Sires’ Produce Stakes.
·The seven Karaka Million fields have never failed to produce a Group 1 winner. 40% of horses that have contested the Karaka Million won a stakes race.
·The Karaka Million has produced no fewer than 11 individual Group 1 winners, that’s a Group 1 winners to runners ratio of 12%.
·The jockey who rides the Karaka Million winner will have earned over $400 for every second they rode the horse in the race. For the winning trainer, they will earn over $800 for every second they watch the race. For the winning connections, it’s over $8,000 per second.
·Including 2014, the Select Sale has had the most number of Karaka Million runners (45) just ahead of the Premier Sale (38).
·Premier Sale graduates have won the Karaka Million 4 times and have been placed in the race a further 9 times. The Select Sale graduates have won 3 times and have been placed 5 times.
·Colts have the best record in the Karaka Million, winning the race on three occasions with fillies and geldings winning it twice each.
·Australian jockey Craig Williams is the only jockey to have won multiple editions of the Karaka Million with wins aboard both Ockham’s Razor (2012) and Ruud Awakening (2013).
·General Nediym has sired the greatest number of runners in the race, with five, providing one winner and one placegetter. Any Suggestion has also sired one winner and one placegetter from three runners.
·Windsor Park Stud has produced the greatest number of graduates to compete in the race with 10.
·Waikato Stud has the best record as vendor with a win and two placings from five graduates to compete in the race.
·Barrier 1 is truly coveted in the Karaka Million with the winner coming from that draw twice along with a placing, giving it a 43% strike rate of running in the top 3.
For more information on the Karaka Million and to view the latest Order of Entry, click here .
– New Zealand Bloodstock
