Otaki-Maori Classic
New Zealand | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
Otaki-Maori Classic is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for sprinters at Otaki race course conducted by the Otaki-Maori Racing Club.
The Otaki-Maori Classic is run over 1600m.
The Otaki-Maori Classic was known as the Haunui Farm Classic and is a patterned race after the Waikato Sprint.
In 2018 the race was moved to Hastings as Otaki had drainage problems after some flooding.
2006 saw Darci Brahma win the race as a 3yo before being defeated by Apache Cat in the Australian Guineas.
Melody Belle was in a purple patch in 2019 taking this race in between the Waikato Sprint and the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes. She would win races at home and abroad.
Avantage is almost cut from the same cloth winning another G1 in 2020 for the same stable. She won the same Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes after this too. She backed it up in 2021 beating a good field.
The Otaki-Maori Classic was worth NZ$400,000 in 2024.
Notable winners of Otaki-Maori Classic include La Crique (2024), Levante (2023), Avantage (2020/2021), Melody Belle (2019), Kawi (2017), Volkstok'n'barrell (2016), Nashville (2013/2014), Veyron (2012), Mufhasa (2010), Alamosa (2008), Sir Slick (2007), Darci Brahma (2006), King's Chapel (2004), Surface (2000), Allegro (1995), Javelin (1992/1993), Rough Habit (1991), Westminster (1990), Poetic Prince (1988/1989) and Society Bay (1987).
The 2024 Otaki-Maori Classic was won by La Crique from Aegon and Desert Lightning.
Previous Otaki-Maori Classic Winners
Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
LA CRIQUE
(NZ)
5M VADAMOS (FR) - DESTINY COVE (AUS) DUBAI DESTINATION (USA) |
M CAMERON | 57.0 | SIMON & KATRINA ALEXANDER | 3 |
|
MASCARPONE
(NZ)
5G SHOOTING TO WIN (AUS) - FROMAGE (AUS) FLYING SPUR (AUS) |
WIREMU PINN | 59.0 | GRAEME & DEBBIE ROGERSON | 3 |
|
AVANTAGE
(AUS)
5M FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - ASAVANT (NZ) ZABEEL (NZ) |
O P BOSSON | 57.0 | JAMIE RICHARDS | 5 |
|
AVANTAGE
(AUS)
4M FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - ASAVANT (NZ) ZABEEL (NZ) |
DANIELLE JOHNSON | 57.0 | JAMIE RICHARDS | 1 |
|
MELODY BELLE
(NZ)
4M COMMANDS (AUS) - MELEKA BELLE (NZ) IFFRAAJ (GB) |
O P BOSSON | 57.0 | JAMIE RICHARDS | 13 |
|
DEVISE
(NZ)
4M DARCI BRAHMA (NZ) - DONEZE GIRL (NZ) VOLKSRAAD (GB) |
M T COLEMAN | 57.0 | SHAUNE RITCHIE | 5 |
|
KAWI
(NZ)
6G SAVABEEL (AUS) - MAGIC TIME (NZ) VOLKSRAAD (GB) |
J L WADDELL | 59.0 | A SHARROCK | 2 |
|
VOLKSTOK'N'BARRELL
(NZ)
4G TAVISTOCK (NZ) - VOLKSTER (NZ) VOLKSRAAD (GB) |
V A COLGAN | 59.0 | D LOGAN | 3 |
|
IAMISHWARA
(NZ)
5G KEENINSKY (NZ) - SHE'S HEROIC (NZ) CLAY HERO (AUS) |
R J HANNAM | 59.0 | ANTONY KAYE | 2 |
|
NASHVILLE
(NZ)
5G DARCI BRAHMA (NZ) - ROYAL KISS (IRE) ROYAL ACADEMY (USA) |
J K RIDDELL | 59.0 | ADRIAN & HARRY BULL | 2 |
|
NASHVILLE
(NZ)
4G DARCI BRAHMA (NZ) - ROYAL KISS (IRE) ROYAL ACADEMY (USA) |
KELLY MC CULLOCH | 59.0 | A BULL | 3 |
|
VEYRON
(NZ)
6G THORN PARK (AUS) - OVER THE LIMIT (NZ) CENTRO (NZ) |
M HILLS | 59.0 | LINDA LAING | 4 |
|
KEEP THE PEACE
(NZ)
4M KEEPER (AUS) - PEACE OF MIND (NZ) WILD RAMPAGE (AUS) |
JAMES MCDONALD | 57.0 | SHAUNE RITCHIE | 8 |
|
CULMINATE
(NZ)
5M ELNADIM (USA) - SOLSTICE (NZ) MARCEAU (AUS) |
S C SPRATT | 57.0 | STEPHEN MCKEE | 3 |
|
ALAMOSA
(NZ)
3C O'REILLY (NZ) - LODORE MYSTIC (NZ) CENTAINE (AUS) |
M J WALKER | 55.0 | PETER MCKAY | 4 |
|
SIR SLICK
(NZ)
5G VOLKSRAAD (GB) - OUR MISS OPERA (NZ) PARIS OPERA (AUS) |
B S HERD | 59.0 | G NICHOLSON | 3 |
|
DARCI BRAHMA
(NZ)
3C DANEHILL (USA) - GRAND ECHEZEAUX (NZ) ZAFONIC (USA) |
M J WALKER | 52.5 | MARK WALKER | 2 |
|
ZVEZDA
(NZ)
6G HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS (NZ) - CARNIVAL GIRL (NZ) ROUGHCAST (USA) |
B S HERD | 57.5 | KAY LANE | 9 |
|
KING'S CHAPEL
(AUS)
3C KING OF KINGS (IRE) - LOWER CHAPEL (GB) SHARPO (GB) |
R MCLEOD | 53.0 | MARK WALKER | 8 |
|
CRITIC
(NZ)
4M CENTAINE (AUS) - BENAZIR (NZ) VICE REGAL (NZ) |
L A O'SULLIVAN | 55.5 | COLIN & RICHARD YUILL | 1 |
|
NO MEAN CITY
(NZ)
6G STAR BOARD (NZ) - JIGTIME (NZ) AMAZING DANCER (USA) |
D J BROWNE | 57.5 | J KIERNAN | 4 |
|
STAR SATIRE
(NZ)
3F VOLKSRAAD (GB) - SATIRICAL (NZ) KAAPSTAD (NZ) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 51.5 | ROSS TAYLOR | 13 |
|
SURFACE
(NZ)
5G CRESTED WAVE (USA) - KOSHA (NZ) COOBER PRINCE (IRE) |
N G HARRIS | 57.5 | D N EALES | 1 |