Trentham Racecourse is the main

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 c ...

horse racecourse for the

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

city area in

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 ...

. It is located in the suburb of Trentham in

Upper Hutt Upper Hutt ( mi, Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta) is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand and one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington#Wellington metropolitan area, Wellington metropolitan area. Geography The Upper Hutt city cent ...

, next to

Trentham Military Camp Trentham Military Camp is a New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) facility located in Trentham, Upper Hutt, near Wellington. Originally a New Zealand Army installation, it is now run by Defence and accommodates all three services. It also hosts Jo ...

. The races are conducted by the

Wellington Racing Club The Wellington Racing Club (WRC) is a racing horse racing club based at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham, New Zealand, Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand. Founded as the Wellington Jockey Club in 1854, the first race meetings held by the club were a ...

. The first race meeting was held there in January 1906. In November 2022 it was reported that a $12.4 million investment from the New Zealand Government's Infrastructure Acceleration Fund would be used in a new 850 home housing development and shopping centre on Trentham Racecourse land. Mayor of Upper Hutt and

president Wayne Guppy said it would future proof the Club allowing it to upgrade its facilities and continue to operate, as well as boosting the Upper Hutt economy. Tim Savell, the chief executive of RACE Incorporated, which administers racing clubs in the lower North Island, including the

, said the proposed work would provide the club with income and much needed new facilities.

Main races

Mid January * G1

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, during the Wellington Cup carnival in January. The Telegraph Handicap, raced over 1200 metres, and the R ...

; a 1200m open race. * G1

Levin Classic The Group One Levin Classic - formerly the Bayer Classic - is one of the premier races for three-year-old thoroughbreds in New Zealand. History The race, first run under the name Levin Turf Classic, was originally run at Levin Racecourse until t ...

; 1600m in January for 3 year olds. * G3 Anniversary Handicap; 1600m open handicap. * G3

Trentham Stakes The Trentham Stakes is a Group 3 weight-for-age race held for thoroughbred racehorses at Trentham Racecourse near Wellington, New Zealand conducted by the Wellington Racing Club. Held over 2100 metres in January, it is seen as the main lead-up ...

; 2100m open – set weight & penalties. * Desert Gold Stakes; 1600m for 3 year old fillies. Late January * G3

Wellington Cup The Wellington Cup is a Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand held annually in late January at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham by the Wellington Racing Club. History Inaugurated in 1874, the Wellington Cup has been raced over various ...

; 3200m (previously 2400m). * G1

Thorndon Mile The Thorndon Mile (formally WRC George Adams Handicap) is a Group One (G1) Thoroughbred horse race contested at Trentham Racecourse by the Wellington Racing Club. The race is run on Wellington Cup day, traditionally the last Saturday of January. ...

; 1600m. March * G2 Wellington Guineas; 1400m for 3 year olds. * G1

New Zealand Oaks The New Zealand Oaks is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run at set weights over a distance of 2400 metres ( miles) on the third Saturday of March every year at Trentham Racecourse in Wellington, New Zealand. It was r ...

; 2400m for 3 year old fillies. *

New Zealand St. Leger The New Zealand St. Leger is a major thoroughbred horse race run at Trentham Racecourse in New Zealand on New Zealand Oaks day in March each year. Race conditions and scheduling It was run over 2500m up until 2018 and 2600m from 2019 onward, i ...

; 2500m July * The Wellington Steeplechase over 5500m. * The Wellington Hurdles over 3400m. December * G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes; 1100m for 2 year olds. * G1

Captain Cook Stakes The Captain Cook Stakes is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run at weight-for-age over a distance of 1,600 metres (1 mile) at Trentham Racecourse in Wellington, New Zealand. Over the years the race has been won by great New Zealand racehorses s ...

; 1600m. Trentham was also the venue for the Wellington Derby between 1966 and 1986.

Linda Jones Linda Jones (December 14, 1944 – March 14, 1972) was an American soul singer with a strong gospel-influenced style who had the 1967 top 10 R&B hit single, "Hypnotized". Biography Jones was born in Newark, New Jersey, United States. She starte ...

won the 1979 Wellington Derby on Holy Toledo, likely becoming the first woman rider to win a Derby anywhere on the world.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/racing-women-jockeys-have-had-long-rough-ride/BM56KSWY4LGBWTZEAEDRDTAYHE/

References

External links

Winners list (Wellington Cup) at Thoroughbred Heritage

Sports venues in Upper Hutt Horse racing venues in New Zealand {{horseracing-venue-stub

Main races

See also

References

External links