Inaugurated 1973 Distance 1600m (1 mile) Purse 400,000 NZD | Website Riccarton Park Surface Turf | |
Location Riccarton Park
Christchurch, New Zealand Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing | ||
Atlante new zealand 2000 guineas win
The 2000 Guineas is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 m at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. As of 2009, it is held on the first day of Christchurch's famous New Zealand Cup Week, which is the Saturday following the Melbourne Cup in November.
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History
Until 1973, both the New Zealand Oaks and the New Zealand Derby were run at Riccarton. When those races were moved to Trentham and Ellerslie respectively, Riccarton was awarded two new classic races, the 1000 and 2000 Guineas over 1600m. These races are based on those of the same name in the United Kingdom, run at Newmarket in the first weekend in May.
Both races have quickly established themselves on the New Zealand calendar. Among the best recent winners of the 2000 Guineas are Jimmy Choux, Katie Lee, Darci Brahma, King's Chapel and Veandercross. 2012 winner Sacred Falls went on to win Sydney's Doncaster Handicap in the autumn.
Jockey Opie Bosson has won the race a record six times with Danske (1998), Buzz Lightyear (1999), King's Chapel (2003), Katie Lee (2009), Atlante (2013) and Turn Me Loose (2014).