Auckland Cup Week is one of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

's major annual thoroughbred racing carnivals and is the country's richest offering stakes in excess of NZ$2.2 million. Held in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

in early March, the carnival comprises two days of racing and entertainment a
Ellerslie Racecourse

Vodafone Derby Day
an
Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day
The carnival was first run in 2006. Auckland Cup Week's feature races are: Vodafone Derby Day (the first Saturday of the carnival): * Group 1 $1,000,000 Vodafone

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day o ...

for 3 year old thoroughbreds * Group III $100,000 Haunui Farm Kings Plate * Group III $70,000 McKee Family Sunline Vase * Listed $60,000 Mufhasa FastTrack Stakes Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day (second Saturday of the carnival): * Group I $500,000 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup * Group I $200,000 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes * Group I $200,000 Sistema Stakes (1200m) In addition, Auckland Cup Week plays host to additional off-track entertainment including New Zealand's national fashions in the field final
The Ned Prix de Fashion
which will see its winner take home not only the national title, but a trip to Australia to compete in Victoria Racing Club's MYER Fashions on the Field competition as part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The dates for Auckland Cup Week 2021 are Saturday 6 March (Vodafone Derby Day) and Saturday 13 March (Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day).

References

{{Reflist Horse racing in New Zealand Horse racing meetings

See also

References