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Off the back of the success of last season’s middle-distance bonus series, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and Entain Australia & New Zealand have this season launched the Champion Sprint Series, sponsored by Sport Nation.
The series will run alongside the revamped Rich Hill Champion Middle Distance Series, with the final races of each series culminating on Champions Day at Ellerslie on March 8, also home to the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m).
Points will be allocated to the first four placegetters of each race in the respective series, with a bonus pool of $500,000 being shared amongst the owners of the three highest point scoring horses at the conclusion of each series.
To be eligible to win or place in a series, a horse must compete in at least one Group One race in New Zealand. If two or more horses finish with the same number of points, the relevant bonus amount will be shared amongst the owners of those horses.
Bonus Structure (total bonus based on points allocation, including trainer payment):
- First (Most Points Accrued): $300k*
- Second Highest Points: $150k*
- Third Highest Points: $50k*
*Mandatory 10 percent trainer payment to be paid from bonus amounts listed above.
Sport Nation Champion Sprint Series qualifying races:
- Listed Lindauer Stewards Stakes - 16 November 2024
- The Meteorite (Melbourne) - 23 November 2024
- Gr.3 Haunui Farm Counties Bowl - 23 November 2024
- Gr.1 Winterbottom Stakes (Perth) - 30 November 2024
- Gr.3 George Moore Stakes (Brisbane) - 30 November 2024
- Gr.3 Concorde Stakes - 7 December 2024
- The Supernova (Melbourne) - 21 December 2024
- Listed Christmas Stakes (Melbourne) - 26 December 2024
- Listed Canterbury Sprint (Sydney) - 1 January 2025
- Gr.1 TAB Telegraph - 4 January 2025
- Gr.1 Sistema Railway - 25 January 2025
- Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint - 8 February 2025
- Gr.3 Haunui Farm King's Plate - 8 March 2025
Entain Australia & New Zealand have come onboard as the inaugural sponsor of the Champion Sprint series through their dedicated sports radio station, which is set to be rebranded to Sport Nation from SENZ later this month.
"It's an exciting time for sport and racing fans around New Zealand," Entain Australia & New Zealand Chief Media Officer Chris Haigh said.
"The rebranding from SENZ to Sport Nation comes at the perfect time as we gear up for a massive summer of sport and racing events in New Zealand.
"Sport and racing are intrinsically linked in New Zealand and on Sport Nation, so we're proud to sponsor this series as the Kiwi voice of sport."