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Join Us and Live the Racing Dream in The Golden Era of New Zealand Racing

Inspire Racing is more than a syndicate; it's a gateway to experiencing the true essence of horse racing. The New Zealand racing scene is at an all-time high with prize money soaring and global demand for quality performers. Join us and be part of a community that shares your passion, where every race is an adventure, and every moment is a memory in the making....

horses For sale

Maurice X King's Brook 1YO Filly

2 Years Old Bay Filly

FINAL SHARES REMAINING

Trainer:

Allan Sharrock

Price:

$112,000

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HELLO YOUMZAIN X HOT IN HIGH HEELS 1YO FILLY

2 Years Old Bay Filly

5% Remaining

Trainer:

Freedman Training

Price:

$162,500

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King's Legacy X Peace Palace 1YO Colt

2 Years Old Bay Colt

SOLD OUT

Trainer:

Allan Sharrock

Price:

$143,000

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News

Racing Team Update

July Updates from Our New Zealand Race Team!

Hey Inspire Racing family! We’ve had a dynamic July, filled with exciting moments and plenty of preparation for the upcoming season. Here’s a glimpse into what our New Zealand-based team has been up to:

Rest and Recharge: Our horses have been enjoying some well-deserved rest, gearing up for an exhilarating new season. They're recharging and getting stronger, ready to take on new challenges!

Future Stars: Our yearlings are showing promise! These young talents are growing into proper racehorses, and we can't wait to see them shine on the track.

Sneak Peeks: Check out our latest video below!

Looking Ahead: As we prepare for the new season, stay tuned for more updates and exclusive insights. The excitement is just beginning!

Thank you for being an integral part of the Inspire Racing family. Your support and enthusiasm drive us forward every day. Let’s gear up for an amazing season ahead!

NZTR announces $20.3 million dollar stakes increase

Today New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing announced its funding for the 2023-24 racing season, highlighted by a significant enhancement in stakes funding.

NZTR Board and management believe that increasing prizemoney provides all stakeholders with the confidence to invest and grow New Zealand’s racing industry.

NZTR Chair Cameron George commented on the significant announcement.

“At the top of this priority list is the enhancement to stakes funding, increasing by $20.3 million and taking our total stakes funding to $90.8 million for next season.”

“This is a fantastic opportunity for our industry and the recent approval of the TAB NZ Entain strategic partnership has allowed NZTR to plan with certainty for the next five years and prioritise areas of the business to promote growth,” George said.

NZTR CEO Bruce Sharrock believes the increase in funding will benefit the entire industry.

“We are pleased to see stakes funding spread across all categories and regions of racing.”

“NZTR has also introduced eight new innovation races, as well as further funding to the very successful Southern Mile.

“We have also outlined key strategic priorities to be addressed over the next 12 to 36 months that will continue to improve all facets of our industry which is paramount to improving wagering growth.

“NZTR has also provided commentary on the recent TAB NZ Entain strategic partnering arrangement, with an explanation of what it means to our industry, as well as answering a number of frequently asked questions surrounding the agreement.

“Our entire industry can all be very excited for what the future holds off the back of this announcement. We see this as our opportunity to lay the platform of improved professionalism and standards across the industry, leaving a legacy for generations to come,” Sharrock said.

View NZTR’s Strategic Funding Document here.

NZB to Sponsor New $4.5m The Kiwi Slot Race

In another raft of positive announcements made by TAB New Zealand, Entain and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, the Southern Hemisphere will soon be witness to the richest three-year-old race – ‘The NZB Kiwi’.

Sponsored by NZB, the inaugural thoroughbred slot race will headline a major revamp of the New Zealand summer racing calendar next year.

The NZB Kiwi will become one of the major highlights of a newly established ‘Champions Day’ held in March at Ellerslie - a three-year-old 1500m slot race, which will be the richest race ever held in New Zealand and will carry black-type status.

Fourteen slots will be available to graduates of NZB Sales, as well as Kiwi horses, creating a true destination race for star New Zealand-bred horses from around the world.

NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook is thrilled to be a part of the country's richest ever race.

“When we were initially approached by NZTR to be the sponsor of New Zealand's first thoroughbred slot race, we didn’t hesitate to give it our full support.”

“We love the concept and the direction that racing is heading in at the moment. To have such positive news just under a week out before the yearling sales at Karaka adds an extra layer of optimism to our industry.

The NZB Kiwi Announcement made at Ellerslie this morning.

“We think it’s a fantastic initiative and it’s certainly an exciting time to be racing horses in New Zealand,” Seabrook said.

The NZB Kiwi slot race will carry stakes prizemoney of at least $3.5 million in 2025, increasing to $4.5 million by 2027, making it the richest race in the Southern Hemisphere for three-year-olds.

An additional $1 million in bonuses will be available each year to the three placegetters of The NZB Kiwi, if they have won one of a number of iconic New Zealand and Australian lead up races. With the bonus component, the winner of The NZB Kiwi could take home $1.8 million in total prizemoney.

Lachlan Fitt, CFO and Deputy CEO of Entain Australia and New Zealand, commented on the strategic placement of The NZB Kiwi in New Zealand’s wider summer racing calendar.

“This race is ideally placed in the calendar in early March and gives the country’s top three-year-old sprinter-milers a terrific grand final to be a part of on the same day as the Trackside New Zealand Derby.”

“We expect the competition will be red hot between Slot Holders to secure one of those outstanding Kiwi-bred sprinter-milers and we look forward to participating in the innovative slot auction next month.”

The new-look summer programme announced by NZTR also includes the creation of a two-day Karaka Carnival. The Carnival will bookend the famous NZB National Yearling Sales Series, which attracts bloodstock buyers and industry participants from all over the globe.

The first day of the Carnival, the existing TAB Karaka Millions Raceday will be further boosted by the addition of the Group One Railway, alongside the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO and $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO for Karaka graduates, plus the new open $1m Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic for four-year-olds.

The second day of the Carnival, immediately following the National Yearling Sales Series, will now feature the Group Three Cambridge Stud Almanzor Classic (1200m) alongside other innovative races to be announced.

Bruce Sharrock said the goal was to take the well-established TAB Karaka Millions raceday and supercharge it through the creation of a two-day extravaganza centred around the Karaka yearling sales, as well as the addition of a Group One race to the opening day of the Carnival.

“We’ll be able to showcase New Zealand racing to the world with prestigious Group One racing, complementing the incredibly strong feature racing at our premier Ellerslie track,” he said.

In total, the revised NZTR summer racing programme will see an injection of over $9 million in stakes and bonuses made available in 2025 to the domestic racing industry.

Registrations of interest for Slot Holders for The NZB Kiwi are now open, with an auction for a number of slots to be held on Tuesday 27 February at NZB’s Karaka Sales Centre. Slot Holders will be required to make a three-year commitment to The NZB Kiwi. Register your interest via email at thekiwi@nztr.co.nz.

View NZTR’s The NZB Kiwi Digital Guide here.

To view more information about The NZB Kiwi and the Slot Auction, visit nztr.co.nz/the-kiwi

Micro Ownership FAQS

Welcome to Your Dream of Horse Racing Ownership!

Experience the Golden Era of Racing

NO MONTHLY PAYMENTS

Enjoy the thrill of horse racing ownership without the worry of ongoing costs. One payment covers everything, letting you focus on the excitement, not the expenses.

ALL-IN COST INCLUDED

Your initial share purchase includes all training, care, and racing expenses. No surprises, just pure enjoyment.

GET INSIGHTS INTO YOUR HORSE

Stay connected with regular updates, detailed reports, and exclusive insights into your horse’s progress and wellbeing.

EXPERIENCE A RACEDAY AS AN OWNER

Step into the exclusive shoes of an owner on racedays. Enjoy special access, owner’s privileges, and immerse yourself in the heart-pounding action. Updates are frequent and beyond the thrill of the race, you'll enjoy exclusive events where you can meet and hear from industry experts, connect with fellow owners, and, most importantly, cheer on your horse as it competes.

FAIR MICRO-SHARE PRICING

Invest in your passion for racing with micro-shares that make ownership affordable and enjoyable. Buy just the amount that suits your budget.

NO EXORBITANT MARKUPS

We believe in transparency and fairness, ensuring you get value for your investment without hidden fees or excessive costs.

ENJOY RACING HIGH-CLASS PROSPECTS

Race with high-class prospects and feel the adrenaline of competition. Our selected horses are poised for success and purchased from the premier sales, offering you a thrilling ownership experience.

BUY AS MANY OR AS LITTLE SHARES AS YOU WANT

Flexibility to increase your investment or diversify your portfolio by purchasing multiple shares, or keep it simple with just one.

EARN PRIZEMONEY AND ANY SALES PROCEEDS

Your shares entitle you to a proportional share of all prize money and sales proceeds. The more successful your horse, the greater your return.

YOUR ENTRY POINT TO HORSE OWNERSHIP

Always wanted to own a share in a racehorse and experience being an owner? This is your opportunity to step into the glamorous world of horse racing.

MICRO FAQS

What is a microshare?

A microshare in a racehorse refers to a small percentage ownership of a racehorse, which allows multiple people to buy into the ownership at an affordable cost. This model divides the horse's ownership into many small shares, making it financially accessible for individuals to enjoy the benefits of racehorse ownership without the full financial commitment usually required. Owners of a microshare can experience earning potential from prizemoney and sales revenue, participate in exclusive race day events, and receive regular updates about their horse's training and racing progress. It's a cost-effective way to engage in the exciting world of horse racing and enjoy the perks of being a racehorse owner.

What does the upfront payment cover?

The one upfront payment covers the following expenses, which means there is no requirement for scheduled repayments in your micro-share ownership:

Horse Purchase and Sales Costs
Insurance
Karaka Millions Entry and Pearl Series if applicable
Ongoing Training Costs
Management
Initial Setup (Breaking in, Accounting, etc.)

What if I just want the traditional share?

If you prefer the traditional share option, you can invest in a larger, singular ownership stake in a racehorse. This traditional share provides you with a greater percentage of ownership compared to microshares and typically comes with enhanced benefits and responsibilities, including priority ticketing on race days and stable visits. You would pay ongoing training and management fees monthly. Additionally, you will enjoy a larger portion of any potential prizemoney and sales revenue generated by the horse. This option is ideal for those looking for deeper involvement and potentially greater financial returns from their investment in horse racing.

Can I visit my horse?

Inspire Racing micro-share owners are unable to visit the stables without approval from Inspire Racing.

Inspire Racing organizes Stable Tours at various times of the year, where we can take a large group of owners through the stable, but we can’t approve individual requests for micro-share holders due to the large volume. For traditional shareholders, individual visits can be arranged. The stables are very busy, and they can become overwhelmed when many micro-share owners ask for a visit. We like to ensure we provide a positive experience for both owners and the stables and therefore host formal stable tours and visits.

Who do I contact to talk about my horse?

Send us an email at racing@inspireracing.co.nz, and we will endeavor to respond within 24 hours.

Do I get owner's tickets?

Many race clubs readily provide owners with tickets for our horses on most race days. However, for high-profile events such as the Karaka Millions and Wellington Cup Day, ticket availability may be limited due to increased demand. In such instances, we implement a ballot system to distribute tickets fairly. Each share you own grants you an entry into the ballot, so owning more shares increases your chances of securing tickets for these iconic race days.

What benefits do I get?

With Inspire Racing, you don't just own a part of a horse—you embark on an exciting journey from paddock to track. You'll receive top-notch updates from trainers, breeders, and form analysts, giving you an insider's view on your horse's progress and well-being. Enjoy access to owners' areas on race days. Beyond the thrill of the race, you'll enjoy exclusive events where you can meet and hear from industry experts, connect with fellow owners, and, most importantly, cheer on your horse as it competes. Plus, as a valued part of our ownership community, you're entitled to a proportionate share of any prize money and proceeds from the sale of your horse.

How often will I get updates?

The frequency of updates about your horse will vary depending on the stage of its preparation and the specific trainer overseeing its development. Generally, you can expect to receive updates on a weekly basis when your horse is actively racing. During the pre-training phase, updates will typically be provided every two weeks. When your horse is spelling (resting), updates will occur monthly or as otherwise communicated. This schedule ensures that you stay informed and connected to your horse's progress throughout the different phases of its training and racing career.

What happens if my horse is sold?

As a valued part of our ownership community, you're entitled to a proportionate share of any prize money and proceeds from the sale of your horse.

Inspire Racing Ex-Pat Carbonados Scores for Lindsay Park

Exciting New Zealand import Carbonados kept his unblemished career record intact with an impressive Australian debut in Saturday’s A$175,000 SCAADA Group 3YO Handicap (1100m) at Geelong.

Carbonados salutes for the Lindsay Park team - image Grant Courtney

The Belardo gelding began his career in the New Plymouth stable of Allan Sharrock, and he made a huge impression with a five-length victory on debut on his home track in May of last year. Runner-up Chantilly Lace has since been a multiple Listed winner and Group Three placegetter.

Carbonados was subsequently sold to clients of Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes, who were quickly impressed by what their new recruit showed them in trackwork and trials. Saturday marked his long-awaited Australian debut, and Carbonados did not disappoint.

Ridden by Luke Currie, the three-year-old broke quickly from gate four and settled in second behind the front-running Spicy Margs. That rival kicked strongly at the top of the Geelong straight and provided a brief scare, but Currie released the brakes on Carbonados and he drew past to win by a length and a quarter under a hands-and-heels ride.

“He’s pretty push-button,” Currie said. “He’s still doing a few things wrong – he’s a bit hot and worked up today. Deeper into his preparation, I reckon he’ll settle down and keep improving.

“He jumped well and just cruised along behind the leader with no real problems. He just took a little while to pick up. He was just looking around and is still a bit green and raw. But it was nice that he had that horse to chase. He chased it and put it away nicely in the end. He’s a nice horse going places.”

JD Hayes suggested that Carbonados could step into black-type company for the Gr.3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on January 26.

“That performance was really pleasing to see,” Hayes said. “He’s shown a lot of potential, as everyone would have seen in his overseas form and at the trials.

“Luke gave him a good ride today. It was nice to see him pull out to the middle of the track and come away with a good victory.

“We’ve got some good owners – you’ll see he’s in those Rupert Legh colours, and there are a number of other great clients involved too. They’ve backed us in. He had a pretty nice price tag alongside him after he won so emphatically in New Zealand. There’s still a lot of water to go under the bridge, but this win is a good start.

“We’ll take things one step at a time with him, but a race like the Manfred in a few weeks’ time could be a nice target for him.”

Bred by David Paykel, Carbonados was purchased for $30,000 by Sharrock out of the Haunui Farm draft during the National Yearling Sale Book 2 session at Karaka in 2022. – NZ Racing Desk.

$400,000 Bonus Boost for TAB Karaka Millions

The iconic TAB Karaka Millions raceday will become even bigger with New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) joining forces with Entain to introduce an additional $400,000 in available bonuses for horses offered at the 2024 National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka.

The $200,000 New Owners Bonus will be won by the first horse across the finish line in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO that has 50% or more of the ownership being held by first-time owners. Aimed to introduce newcomers to the thrill of racehorse ownership, new owners can purchase a yearling at the fast-approaching yearling sales at Karaka in January and be racing for $1.2 million only a year later.

"We’ve been hugely encouraged by the surge in interest in racing and horse ownership since we entered the New Zealand racing scene earlier this year,” Entain Managing Director – New Zealand Cameron Rodger said.

“The New Owners Bonus is a tremendous chance for Kiwis who haven’t owned a horse before to join in on the thrills of racing a thoroughbred and enjoy even more success if their yearling sales purchase performs well in the 2025 TAB Karaka Millions 2YO.”

The $200,000 Book 2 Bonus will be won by the first horse across the finish line in the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO that was offered in NZB’s Book 2 Sale in January 2024.

Book 2 has been a happy hunting ground for Karaka Millions contenders over the years and this bonus will highlight the quality that comes out of the Book 2 Sale. This bonus will start with the 2026 edition of the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO when the 2024 yearlings are three-year-olds.

Both bonuses will be introduced for horses offered at Karaka 2024, giving buyers an opportunity to target these bonuses when buying at Karaka in January next year.

“Book 2 at the NZB sales has been a great source of outstanding thoroughbreds over the years including Sharp ‘N’ Smart, Legarto and Roch ‘N’ Horse, proving that stars can come from all levels of the sales,” NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook says.

“This Book 2 Bonus will be up for grabs for any Book 2 graduate in the 2026 TAB Karaka Millions 3YO, so it could be a supercharged payday if a product of the Book 2 sale claims the victory in 2026, and a great bonus if the graduate beats their fellow Book 2 alumni home, even if they don’t win.”

New Karaka Millions Bonus Details - Terms & Conditions

$200,000 New Owners Bonus for the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO
$200,000 Book 2 Bonus for the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO

The bonuses will be introduced in 2025 and 2026 respectively, giving buyers an opportunity to target these bonuses when buying at Karaka 2024.

$200,000 New Owners Bonus for the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO

$200,000 paid to the first eligible horse across the line
To be eligible the horse must be 50% owned by first-time thoroughbred racehorse owners
Owners must register eligible horses with NZTR at least two months prior to the TAB Karaka Millions raceday
The horse qualifies for the bonus, not just the new owners in the ownership
If only one eligible horse makes the field it will still receive the bonus regardless of where it finishes
NZTR will thoroughly investigate horse ownership once the number of horses in contention is at a manageable level
For the purposes of this New Owners Bonus, a husband or wife of an existing owner will not be eligible as a ‘New Owner’

$200,000 Book 2 Bonus for the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO

$200,000 bonus for the first horse purchased in Book 2 across the line in the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO

Contact

For more information, contact Client Relations & PR Manager Jessie Gower on +64 21 524 443.

Britain's Entain gets green light to take over TAB's betting operations

The TAB has got the green light from Minister for Racing Kieran McAnulty to outsource its operations to British gambling giant Entain, in spite of concerns voiced by the Problem Gambling Foundation.

The deal will see Entain, whose brands include Ladbrokes, take over the TAB’s betting and broadcast operations for the next 25 years and guarantee the racing industry pay-outs of $900 million over five years.

McAnulty said the Cabinet had also agreed in principle to extend TAB NZ’s “monopoly over sports and race betting to the online environment” which he suggested might be achieved by geoblocking overseas gambling websites.

Entain had lobbied for such a monopoly by offering to make an “additional and significant upfront payment if legislation was enacted that prevented unlicenced offshore operators from providing wagering services in New Zealand”.

Entain previously promised to guarantee the jobs of TAB’s 450 staff, excluding its executive team, for two years, to get the deal over the line.

McAnulty said he was confident the agreement would help secure a solid future for the racing industry and sports in New Zealand “through increased financial distributions to national sports organisations”.

“TAB NZ has been facing increasing financial challenges over recent years and was facing an uncertain future, largely due to competition from offshore gambling websites”, he said.

“The agreement provides an upfront payment of $150m upon approval of the agreement. In addition to this there will be a 50% revenue share from ‘day one’ with guaranteed payments of at least $150m per year for the first five years.”

The Problem Gambling Foundation has drawn attention to what it has described as a raft of regulatory breaches by Entain overseas and had planned to meet with McAnulty on Thursday week to discuss its concerns about the agreement.

Entain was fined £17 million (NZ$34m) by the UK Gambling Commission last year for what the commission described as “completely unacceptable anti-money laundering and safer-gambling failures”.

Entain was also fined for two rule breaches in Australia that saw it encourage heavy gamblers to start betting with its Ladbrokes business by offering them incentives to open betting accounts, in one case setting up an account for a gambler without their knowledge or permission.

The Problem Gambling Foundation also noted that Britain’s Guardian newspaper had reported allegations earlier this month that Entain had been benefitting from blog posts previously paid for by another betting business that it subsequently acquired that encouraged young mothers to gamble to give themselves a break from childcare.

But McAnulty indicated he expected the outsourcing agreement would reduce problem gambling, saying Entain had “better harm minimisation technologies such as facial recognition tools that can be rolled out in TAB venues”.

“I’ve received confirmation from TAB NZ of a $5m allocation for harm minimisation measures upon approval of the agreement,” he said.

“We would expect to ... see much more money allocated to harm minimisation, a fairer deal for Kiwi punters and sports codes and a greater focus on animal welfare.”

Ladbrokes was founded in 1886, but Entain had “significantly improved its approach” since the incidents the Problem Gambling Foundation referred to, McAnulty said.

“It is their current operation that I am concerned about.”

The partnership between TAB NZ and Entain did not prevent the Government from putting in place further harm minimisation regulation “and I have been clear with TAB NZ that I intend to do so”, he said.

TAB chairperson Mark Stewart said Entain was a reputable player.

“They certainly have had some issues ... but we have had lots of undertakings from them and I have no concerns.”

Entain has said that it “very much respects” groups such as the Problem Gambling Foundation.

“As TAB NZ has done, our plan will be to foster a meaningful relationship with them should ministerial approval be forthcoming,” it said earlier in relation to the outsourcing deal.

“We are proud of our record and commitment to player protection and safer gambling and that will be a cornerstone of our approach in New Zealand as well.”

Problem Gambling Foundation spokesperson Andree Froude said it would have preferred McAnulty to have met with it before approving the deal.

“Given where we are at now, we need to look forward and hope we can be part of the conversation around harm minimisation,” she said.

“We are still really concerned about Entain’s regulatory failures. The best indicator of future performance is past performance, and Entain’s form is not great.”

McAnulty said the arrangement would see Entain provide “most of the TAB NZ’s functions through a newly established, New Zealand-based subsidiary of Entain”.

However, TAB NZ would remain “as the entity responsible for all statutory functions and for managing the contract with the operator”, he said.

The Overseas Investment Office said it did not appear to have received an application from either Entain or the TAB for the partnership agreement.

It was unable to clarify whether it might need to approve the transaction late last week saying that, as of then, there was “insufficient publicly available information available to make an assessment of whether or not consent is required”.

NZB Insurance Pearl Series Revamped by Entain & NZTR

Adding to the list of further boosts Entain and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing have made to New Zealand’s racing industry in recent months is the delivery of enhanced Pearl Series bonuses for fillies and mares.

Entain, NZTR and NZB Insurance have collaborated to provide continued support of fillies and mares racing in New Zealand, with all current Pearl Series bonuses now doubled for the 2023-24 racing season.

The refreshed Series will be renamed the Entain - NZB Insurance Pearl Series and will see a boost in bonuses paid out to Pearl Series nominated horses. The winning Owner will receive a $20,000 bonus, increasing from $10,000, as well as the winning Trainer and Nominator receiving $1,000 each, a $500 increase respectively.

In addition to this, the Owner of the filly or mare that places second will receive a $4,000 bonus (increased from $2,000), with the Owner of the third placegetter earning a $2,000 bonus (increased from $1,000).

Adding further appeal is the creation of a $100,000 Pearl Series Bonus Final to be run in Autumn. The Final will be open to Pearl Series registered horses only, up to five years of age. Southern and Central-based horses who make the Final will also be provided with travel subsidies to compete. Conditions for the $100,000 Pearl Series Bonus Final are still being finalised and more information about the race will be released shortly.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s CEO Bruce Sharrock confirmed the governing body’s support for a revitalisation of the Pearl Series.

“Both Entain and NZTR have banded together to provide a $2 million dollar enhancement to the Pearl Series over the course of four years.”

“The boost in bonuses will apply to all fillies and mares currently entered in the race Series, as well as new nominees wishing to enter for this coming season. Nominations will be reopened until the end of August.

"Promoting the participation of fillies and mares racing carries advantages not only to total field sizes but also bringing benefits to owners with increased stakes and in turn enhancing the race record of their filly or mare as a valuable breeding proposition.

“A number of high-profile New Zealand Thoroughbred mares have graduated from the Pearl Series including Group One winners Avantage, Belle En Rouge, Levante, Melody Belle and Probabeel.

“We would like to thank Entain for their continued innovation in New Zealand racing, as well as NZB Insurance who have now sponsored the Pearl Series for over a decade,” he said.

The Pearl Series boost comes after a full review of the bonus structure was completed ahead of the 2022-23 season, which saw Pearl Series bonuses for registered fillies and mares extend to those who finished second and third in Pearl Series races. It was also extended to include five-year-old race mares which was welcomed by the racing community.

Jim Bruford of NZB Insurance commented on the significant boost to the company’s 11-year Pearl Series sponsorship.

“We were a major supporter of the Pearl Series when it was initially developed in partnership with the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association because of the benefit it gave to fillies’ racing in New Zealand.”

“We have been sponsoring the Series for 11 years, proving that Pearl Series races are hotly contested events, drawing maximum fields and developing good betting revenue, giving fillies an opportunity to race to assist us in developing our breeding stock.

“Throughout the 11 years of the Pearl Series, NZB Insurance has received remarkable support from the industry in recognising our initial sponsorship.

“Having Entain on board to further strengthen the Pearl Series in the coming years is a tremendous boost to our philosophy of supporting fillies racing in New Zealand,” Bruford said.

Administered by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, 2023 nominations have now been reopened and will close on Thursday 31 August. There will be no increase in nomination costs, with the entry fee remaining at $1,500 + GST.

Nominate your 2021 filly for the Entain - NZB Insurance Pearl Series here.

What you need to know about the Pearl Series enhancements:

Up to 100 races per season
Each race now carries a total $26,000 stake bonus
Trainer and Nominator bonuses have also doubled, now at $1,000 each
$100,000 Series Final Race Bonus, run in the Autumn and a travel subsidy for Southern and Central District horses who qualify
No increase in nomination costs

Kick Up for Kiwis backing the industry ahead of Melbourne Cup

As the all-important first Tuesday in November nears once again, conversations and criticisms around the Melbourne Cup and Thoroughbred horse racing begin circulating widely in the public.

Widely recognised as ‘the race that stops a nation’, the Melbourne Cup is arguably the most important and awaited race on the calendar for industry supporters, with the Flemington Carnival drawing more than 244,000 on-track attendees over the four racedays in 2022.

Due to the enormity of the race and its attraction to international participants, horse racing experiences its highest volume of global coverage extending across mainstream news publications, creating opportunity for the circulation of misinformation and common misconceptions around the care, protection and welfare of racehorses.

Kick Up for Racing is a non-profit organisation developed by Vicky Leonard and her team of educated industry participants, who experienced the Melbourne Cup through the modern digital era and witnessed the focus of the race shift from a “celebration of Australian racing” to a day of defending the industry from activists.

“Kick Up started really as an effort to address misconceptions and misinformation that’s been put out there, but we’ve evolved it now into driving community support,” Leonard said.

Though Kick Up for Racing promotes the positive messages of the racing industry, they acknowledge the tough realities and truths of the great race, particularly the four fatal limb injuries and two on-course fatalities of Cup horses that have occurred since 2013. Each of Anthony van Dyck (2020), The Cliffsofmoher (2018), Red Cadeaux (2015) and Verema (2013) were imported, internationally-trained horses that suffered limb-related injuries in the Cup, likely as a result of the vast changes in racing style, surface, and tempo in Australia to their origin countries.

Following these tragic and unacceptable events, Racing Victoria has been active and assertive in making extreme, world-first precautions over the past two years to ensure the safety of the international and local competitors. These include an expertly conducted CT scan of distal limbs prior to acceptance into the 24-horse field for the Cup, as well as a regular cortisol-level analysis and further veterinary and training track enhancements to the Werribee International Horse Centre, where global visitors are stabled over the Spring Racing period.

Through October in the build-up to this year’s edition, Leonard and the Kick Up for Racing collective undertook three ‘Kick Up For Kiwis’ workshops throughout the country, aiming to arm the New Zealand industry with key strategies in positively promoting Thoroughbred racing and changing the conversation.

“We need everybody on this ride, so we want not only negativity to be resolved, we need to be showcasing and celebrating and putting amplification over the great stuff that’s being done, showing that our industry is underpinned by fundamentally exceptional welfare for our horses,” Leonard said.

“When an industry doesn’t speak up, people assume you have something to hide so by working together and amplifying all the awesome things that are going on by opening stable doors and the gates to your farm, we can really showcase that.

“It will drive us to an industry that’s not just surviving but push us into a spot where we are really thriving as well.”

The importance of promoting positive and factual information becomes particularly integral around the Melbourne Cup period, Justine Sclater, Head of Welfare and Sustainability for New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, discussed how the Kick Up for Kiwi’s initiative creates a solid foundation for how members of the racing community can defend the industry.

“Bringing Kick Up for Kiwis to our industry in New Zealand means we can now plan, make a strategy and have evidence-based facts to be prepared and empowered to defend our industry when we come under fire from different active groups, or even friends and family that question how you feel about our sport,” Sclater said.

“For all of us, we’re proud of what we do, and it means we can answer back and feel confident about how we defend ourselves. I want us to be front-footing our industry, and be able to disseminate facts and figures in a confident manner so we can defend our industry from public negative perception.”

This Tuesday 7 November will be another day written into the history books and racing enthusiasts need this to be for positive reasons, where healthy, safe horses cross the finish line in the great race. Kick Up for Racing has generated a Melbourne Cup ‘cheat sheet’, which outlines the facts and figures around the great race, with a particular focus on promoting the vast range of benefits of the industry, while sympathising with the risk and history around the Cup.

If you are participating in a company, friend or family sweepstake and are questioned in relation to the negative associations of the Melbourne Cup, here are some tips and facts courtesy of the Kick Up for Racing team in response:

· Victoria Racing Club and Racing Victoria have instilled strict safety precautions for all horses, particularly international of the past two years and continue to tighten these regulations.

· “They are forced to run” – wild horses cover 16km/h every day in a herd, similar to that of a field of racehorses, and 500kg animal cannot be forced to run by a 50kg human, use Chautauqua as an example.

· Racehorses are bred to race, and train like any other athlete. They will not perform if they are not healthy, happy and fit.

· Australia is one of the safest racing jurisdiction in the world, with a 0.059% chance of a horse experiencing a fatal injury in Australian races.

· There are very strict (and expensive!) whip rules for jockeys, however, their padded surface is used for safety for the jockey, as well as making a ‘popping’ sound to encourage the horse.

· The Australian industry employs over 79,000 people (including many Kiwis!).

· The Melbourne Cup Carnival is the number one economic generator for annual sporting events in Australia, with $422.1 million gross economic benefit delivered to the Victorian state in 2022.

· City-trained horses experience a curated diet, regular visits to vets, farriers, physios and specialists as well as dentists, an expense upwards of AUS$60k for their caring owners.

The Kick Up for Racing team emphasises the importance of empathy when delivering messages such as these, remembering to acknowledge devastating events such as euthanising an injured horse, while adding informed knowledge to educate those outside of the industry. View Kick Up for Racing’s Melbourne Cup content here.

Promising Kiwi 2YO Sold to Australia

Carbonados, the warm favourite for Saturday’s Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui has been scratched due to his sale to Australia.

The Allan Sharrock-trained son of Belardo had been a dominant debut winner on his home track at New Plymouth earlier in the month, where he was the heavily supported favourite on the back of a strong trial win at Foxton.

Sharrock said the sale of the stakes-bound two-year-old was bittersweet.

“He has been purchased by the Hayes stable,” Sharrock said.

“Like all the nice horses in New Zealand, they go overseas.

“He was one I was reluctant to sell. I rate the horse. Probably he can handle wet ground, but he doesn’t mind it good either.

“I hope he does a good job for them. We are a trading nation and it is just the way it goes.

“He was $1.50 favourite and I thought he was a good thing on Saturday, but now we will never know. We just have to turn our attention to finding another one.”

Out of the winning Iffraaj mare Humoresque, Carbonados was purchased for $30,000 as a yearling from the draft of Haunui Farm.

Carbonados’ sire Belardo was recently represented by Golden Path, who was an impressive debut winner at Pakenham for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable after winning multiple trials in New Zealand for Michael Rogers. – NZ Racing Desk

about us

Inspire Racing, established in 2023 by Matthew Corban, marks a significant addition to the New Zealand thoroughbred racing scene. As a authorized syndicator in the country, Inspire Racing brings a fresh and dynamic approach to the industry. At the helm of their training operations is future hall of fame trainer Allan Sharrock, whose expertise and experience promise to bring exceptiona...