The Hawke's Bay Guineas is a major

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

horse race in

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

for three-year-old horses. In 2003 the stake was boosted to $100,000 and the race was moved to the first Saturday in October, meaning that it is run on the same day as the

Spring Classic The Livamol Classic is a weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and was at one stage New Zealand, New Zealand's richest horse race. It is run at a distance of . The race is run in October. The weather in t ...

. In later years it has been on the same day as the Arrowfield Stud Plate.

Notable winners

The race is an excellent guide to the

New Zealand 2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas is a Group One set-weight Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch New Zealand cup week The New Zealand 2000 Guineas is hel ...

, and in past years has been won by horses that have gone on to perform well in major races in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

- particularly: * Alamosa, the 2008

Toorak Handicap The Toorak Handicap is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run as an open handicap race, over a distance of 1,600 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Currently, the prizemoney is A$1,000,000. Hi ...

winner. *

Balmerino Balmerino is a small village and former monastic centre in Fife, Scotland. It is the home of Balmerino Abbey and the former Abbot of Balmerino, abbots of Balmerino who were great regional landlords. It became a secular lordship in 1605 when th ...

, winner of the 1975

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 in March each year. History The New Zealand Derby i ...

and 1976

Rawson Stakes The Ranvet Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 2,000 metres, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March. Total prize money is A$1 ...

, Tulloch Stakes,

P J O'Shea Stakes The Q22, registered as the P.J. O'Shea Stakes is a Brisbane Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 2,200 metres at Doomben Racecourse, Bri ...

Brisbane Cup The Brisbane Cup is a Brisbane Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and upwards, run under handicap conditions over a distance of 3200 metres at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane during the Queensland Winter Racing Carni ...

and 1977

Air 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 Champions Day in March of every year, with a stake of $1 million.https://www ...

Awapuni Gold Cup The Awapuni Gold Cup is held annually in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It is a set weight and penalties race over 2,000 metres. History First held in 1915, the race has been won by many of New Zealand's most famous racehorses including: * Balme ...

& Ormond Memorial. Also won the 1977 Valdoe Stakes. *

Darci Brahma Darci Brahma (Danehill-Grand Echezeaux; foaled 21 September 2002) is a New Zealand thoroughbred colt foaled in 2002 at Pencarrow Stud near Cambridge in New Zealand. He was auctioned at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd Yearling Sales in January 200 ...

, the winner of the 2005 T.J. Smith Stakes *

Jimmy Choux Jimmy Choux (10 October 2007 – 22 January 2024) was a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse. On 5 March 2011, he won the 136th running of the New Zealand Derby. In doing so, he became the first horse since Surfers Paradise (horse), Surfers Parad ...

, the 2011

Rosehill Guineas The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights run over a distance of 2000 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia annually in March. Total prize money for t ...

winner and 2011

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racin ...

runner-up *

Mr Tiz Mr Tiz (2 February 1984 – 30 January 2014) was a champion New Zealand thoroughbred racehorse. He is best known for his three consecutive wins in the Railway Stakes (1,200 metres) at Ellerslie, the country's premier sprint race for thoroughbr ...

, winner of the 1989, 1990 & 1991 Railway Stakes, 1989 & 1990

Telegraph Handicap The Telegraph Handicap is a Group One New Zealand horse race contested by the Wellington Racing Club at Trentham Racecourse in Upper Hutt. It was traditionally raced during the Wellington Cup carnival in mid-January, however from 2025 it has bee ...

, 1991

Waikato Sprint The Waikato Sprint currently run as the BCD Group Sprint is a Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run at Te Rapa Racecourse in Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton in early February. It is currently held on the same day as the Group 1 New Zeala ...

and 1991 The Galaxy *

Sacred Falls Sacred Falls (27 August 2009 – 1 December 2019) was a champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was sold at the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales in 2011 for $160,000. Racing career He began his career with Tony Pike and ...

, the winner of the 2013 and 2014

Doncaster Handicap The Doncaster Mile, registered as the Doncaster Handicap is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred handicap race for horses three years old and older, held over 1,600 metres at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia. Although the ra ...

and 2014

George Main Stakes The King Charles III Stakes (formerly known as the George Main Stakes), is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions, over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in S ...

* Turn Me Loose, winner of the 2015 Seymour Cup,

Crystal Mile The Crystal Mile is a Moonee Valley Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held under Weight for Age conditions for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 1600 metres held at Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia ...

Emirates Stakes The VRC Champions Mile, registered as the ''Cantala Stakes'', is a Group 1 Victoria Racing Club quality handicap Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the fourth and last day during the ...

and the 2016 Futurity Stakes *

Veandercross Veandercross (14 October 1988 – 18 October 2014) was a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred gelding who won 14 stakes races, (including eight Group one), and was chosen Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for the 1992–93 season. Veandercros ...

, winner of the 1993

Ranvet Stakes The Ranvet Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 2,000 metres, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March. Total prize money is A$ ...

and

Australian Cup The Australian Cup is a Victoria Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, held under Weight for Age conditions, over a distance of 2000 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australi ...

In 2005, the race was run in the national record time for 1400 metres of 1:19.97 as

and Dr Green fought out the finish.

Race results

•• The distance changed from 1600m to 1400m in 1987

References

{{Reflist Horse races in New Zealand

Notable winners

Race results

See also

References