New Zealand Messenger Championship

NEW ZEALAND MESSENGER CHAMPIONSHIP
Group I race
Location Alexandra Park
Auckland, New Zealand
Inaugurated 1967
Race type Standardbred - Flat racing
Website Alexandra Park
Race information
Distance 2700m
Track Oval dirt, right-handed
Qualification Four-year-old horses
Purse NZ $150,000

The New Zealand Messenger Championship is a Group One event for 4 and 5 year old pacing horses in New Zealand. Run at Alexandra Park in early May, it has traditionally been the most prestigious 4 year-old race in New Zealand, and a key guide to feature races in the following season like the New Zealand Trotting Cup. However, from 2013 5 year olds will be eligible to compete, as will be the case will all other traditional 4 year old feature races in New Zealand.

Other major races

Winners list

NEW ZEALAND MESSENGER CHAMPIONSHIP (Mobile Barrier, 2700m, $200,000) Run annually in November at Alexandra Park Raceway
Year
Month
Horse
Owner
Driver
 Time
2010 May Tintin In America ATC Trot 2008 Syndicate David Butcher 3:15.8
2009 May Auckland Reactor Auckland Reactor Ltd Mark Purdon 3:18.8
2008 May Gotta Go Cullen I D Dobson Tony Herlihy 3:22.9
2007 May Monkey King Cavalla Bloodstock Limited Steven Reid 3:23.9
2006 May Mainland Banner I D Dobson, S J Dobson, Lynne Umar Ricky May 3:23.5
2005 April Mi Muchacho R C Anderson, Ms P C Larsen Peter Ferguson 3:23.5
2004 April Elsu Mrs J Walters/Double Up Synd/Est D Hudson/Mrs P Small David Butcher 3:22.2
2003 May Just An Excuse O Haines, Mrs I K Haines Todd Mitchell 3:22.0
2002 April Young Rufus H Manolitsis, V, T & W Lynch, G J Carey, K R Hyslop Mark Purdon 3:21.4
2001 March Tupelo Rose G L Banks, M J Hanover, J D Curtin Peter Jones 3:23.6
2000 March Pic Me Pockets H R Bosher Tony Herlihy 3:19.8
1999 April Homin Hosed Mrs M A Macey, B L Macey Todd Mitchell 3:23.1
1998 May OK Royal J W Smolenski, M J Ward Jack Smolenski 3:20.6
1997 April Agua Caliente D S Short, Mrs D E J Short, Mrs D E Woods, Miss S M Short Glen Wolfenden 3:24.7
1996 April Decision Time J M Ward James Stormont 3:22.3
1995 April Rain Again B C Madsen Neil Brady 3:23.0
1994 April Montana Vance J B Hart, Mrs K J Purdon, J B Ede, D H Sixton Tony Herlihy 3:23.0
1993 March Chokin Pacers Australia Synd, M Joyce, J Loughnan, B De Boer Tony Herlihy 3:23.3
1992 April Abdias J Butcher, Mrs C M Butcher Philip Butcher 3:27.0
1991 April Christopher Vance R R Reid, Lorna Reid Syndicate, Mrs J C Reid Tony Herlihy 3:19.5
1990 March Alert Fulla J Friedhof Maurice McKendry 3:25.8
1989 March Dillon Dean D P Dwyer, Mrs H M C Burley Colin De Filippi 3:22.7
1988 February Rostriever Hanover I A Munro, Mrs A H Munro Patrick O'Reilly 3:23.5
1986 December Trident The Horseplayers Syndicate John Hay 3:25.8
1985 December Placid Victor Mrs L G Wilson Maurice McKendry 3:23.2
1984 December Roydon Glen R A McKenzie W F Fletcher 3:25.4
1983 December Nostradamus W J Francis & P I Renwick P N Jones 3:32.4
1982 December Hilarious Guest M G Vermeulen P T Wolfenden 3:26.2
1981 December Melton Monarch J S Dalgety B Purdon 3:26.5
1980 December John Tudor H T & A P Dodds & B C Newton T H Knowles 3:29.3
1979 December Tempest Tiger P K Ryder J W Smolenski 3:27.9
1978 March Sapling G C Cruickshank & R Given H W Skinner 3:26.4
1978 December Locarno B J & E J Francis R D Butt 3:34.6
1977 March Stanley Rio W J Francis & G B & J B Noble J B Noble 3:28.4
1976 March Forto Prontezza Mrs E & A R J McNaught H W Skinner 3:29.2
1975 March Josias J & Mrs C M Butcher R F Mitchell 3:29.6
1974 March Speedy Guest W F Woolley J W Smolenski 3:28.8
1973 March Tonton Macoute N M Allcock & W E Ross A K Holmes 3:10
1972 March Scottish Warrior R A McKenzie C S Hunter 3:10.2
1970 December Sam Tryax Mrs & R C Whitford B J Anderson 3:11.6
1969 December Western Ridge T E Renshaw R J Weatherley 3:14.2
1968 December Bewitched G B Noble J B Noble 2:55.8
1967 December Governor Frost C Hadley P T Wolfenden 2:55.4

See also

Reference list