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Significant Karaka Millions Raceday enhancements have been unveiled.
The Karaka Millions Raceday has had its status as New Zealand's richest raceday strengthened following enhancements announced late on Thursday.
Next year's meeting will be worth more than NZ$4 million after a prizemoney injection to one of the meeting's signature event and the introduction of a new race.
Joining the six-event program is a $1 million four-year-old mile race, which is open to all horses.
The feature three-year-old race for graduates of the Karaka Yearling Sale will be run for $1.5 million, which is an increase of $500,000.
Also on the card is the two-year-old event for horses sold through Karaka, which remains a $1 million event.
The prizemoney increases come at the same time as TAB, the New Zealand betting brand operated by Entain Australia and New Zealand, signed a five-year partnership with TAB securing naming rights to the meeting and the two graduate races.
Entain will contribute to a travel scheme aimed at ensuring the presence of Australian-trained horses at the meeting.
"We have watched the Karaka Million grow from its inception in 2008 to the blue-riband raceday it is today," Cameron Rodger, Managing Director – New Zealand, Entain Australia and New Zealand, said.
"We know this raceday and the yearling sales that follow are hugely important to the fortunes of New Zealand racing and breeding, New Zealand Bloodstock is a great success story in New Zealand racing, and we're proud to partner with them for this amazing event.
"We're also establishing a Travel Incentive Scheme, which commits up to $150,000 towards a scheme developed with New Zealand Bloodstock to attract Australian-based horses to run in the Karaka feature events.
"Having Australian-based horses in these races will create a great opportunity to grow the audience in Australia."
The 2024 Karaka Millions meeting will be run on Saturday, January 27 with the Karaka Yearling Sale to run from January 28 to February 2, with the first three days comprising Book 1.