The Easter Handicap or Easter Stakes is a major
horse race held at
Ellerslie Racecourse
Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand, for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit in the suburb of Ellerslie, with a circumference of just under 1,900 metres. Racing is conducted in a clockwi ...
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 ...
, New Zealand. It is raced over a distance of 1,600 metres (approximately 1 mile) by three-year-old and upwards
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...
s.
Race history
Although previously a Group 1 race, from 2017 it was reclassified to Group 2 and from 2022 to Group 3 level.
In 2016, the conditions of the race changed from a handicap to set weight and penalties, but reverted back to handicap conditions in 2018.
The race has been won by many of New Zealand's greatest milers, including
Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th ce ...
(twice), Sleepy Fox (four times) and
Grey Way.
The Easter Handicap is now raced in late April on the same date as the
Championship Stakes.
Winners Since 1965
Previous winners
*1964 - Tasman Sea
*1963 - Final Command
*1962 - Otematata
*1961 - Waipari
*1960 - Waipari
*1959 - Marie Brizard
*1958 - Japonica
*1957 - Solepic
*1956 - Coleridge
*1955 - Fair Chance
*1954 - Tesla
*1953 - Misprint
*1952 - Peter Boy
*1951 - Wandering Ways
*1950 - Lord Revel
*1949 - Rosslare
*1948 - Iwo Jima
*1947 -
Sleepy Fox
*1946 -
Sleepy Fox[
*1945 - Sleepy Fox][
*1944 - Sleepy Fox][
*1943 - Landveyor
*1942 - ]Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th ce ...
*1941 - Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th ce ...
*1940 - Black Thread
*1939 - Beaupartir
*1938 - Francis Drake
*1937 - Tooley Street
*1936 - Royal Appellant
*1935 - Red Manfred
*1934 - Jonathan
*1933 - Golden Wings
*1932 - Great Star
*1931 - Hunting Cry
*1930 - Pegaway
*1929 - Bright Glow
*1928 - In The Shade
*1927 - Civility
*1926 - Reremoana
*1925 - Reremoana
*1924 - Hipo
*1923 - Roseday
*1922 - Grotesque
*1921 - Silver Link
*1920 - Gazique
*1919 - Uncle Ned
*1918 - Parisian Diamond
*1917 - Menelaus
*1916 - Chortle
*1915 - Merry Roe
*1914 - Ventura
*1913 - Jack Delaval
*1912 - Kakama
*1911 - Antoinette
*1910 - Waiari
*1909 - Aborigine
*1908 - Gold Crest
*1907 - Waipuna
*1906 - Mobility
*1905 - Scotty
*1904 - Regulation
*1903 - Golden Rose
*1902 - Nonette
*1901 - Rosella
*1900 - Advance
Advance commonly refers to:
*Advance, an offensive push in sports, games, thoughts, military combat, or sexual or romantic pursuits
*Advance payment for goods or services
*Advance against royalties, a payment to be offset against future royalty pa ...
*1899 - Rex
*1898 - Rex
*1897 - Day Star
*1896 - Acone
*1895 - Folly
*1894 - Lottie
*1893 - Impulse
*1892 - Cynisca
*1891 - Impulse
*1890 - Hilda
*1889 - Leorina
*1888 - Friendship
*1887 - Spade Guinea
*1886 - Clogs
*1885 - Turquoise
*1884 - Radames/The Administrator
*1883 - Leonora
*1882 - Louie
*1881 - King Quail
*1880 - Yatapa
*1879 - Yatapa
*1878 - Elsa
*1877 - Bide A Wee
*1876 - Parawhenua
*1875 - Yatterina
*1874 - Batter
See also
* Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand
The racing of Thoroughbred horses (or gallopers, as they are also known) is a popular gaming and spectator sport and industry in New Zealand.
History
Thoroughbred horse racing commenced soon after European settlement. The first totalisator machi ...
* Championship Stakes
* Awapuni Gold Cup
* Zabeel Classic
The Zabeel Classic is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race run at weight-for-age over a distance of 2000 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on Boxing Day, a raceday steeped in tradition that frequently attracts in e ...
* New Zealand Stakes
The New Zealand Stakes currently run as the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes is a Group One thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand.
It is run at Ellerslie racecourse on the final day of the Auckland Cup Week Carnival in March for a stake of $200 ...
References
{{reflist
External links
Youtube video - Champion racehorse Grey Way winning the 1977 Easter Handicap
Horse races in New Zealand
Open mile category horse races