The New Zealand Messenger Championship is a Group One event for standardbred pacing horses in New Zealand, run at Alexandra Park.
| Group I race | |
| Location | Alexandra Park Auckland, New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1967 |
| Race type | Standardbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2700m |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Right-handed oval |
| Qualification | Open class pacers, from 2022 onwards (Historically for four-year-old pacers only) |
| Purse | NZ $106,150 (2024) |
Race scheduling
In recent years the race has been held in late April or early May.
It was previously raced on the same race-night as the Rowe Cup and Northern Trotting Derby for trotters and the New Zealand Sires Stakes Championship.
The New Zealand Messenger Championship had traditionally been restricted to 4 year-old horses and was the most prestigious race for that age group in New Zealand, and a key guide to feature races in the following season like the New Zealand Trotting Cup and Auckland Cup. This is evidenced by New Zealand Messenger Championship winners and subsequent Cup victors such as:
- Lazarus
- Auckland Reactor
- Monkey King
- Mainland Banner
- Elsu
- Just An Excuse.
For the 2013, 2014 and 2015 years five year olds were also eligible to compete in the race. Then from 2016 it reverted to four year olds only. However, in 2022 the New Zealand Messenger and its traditional lead up race, the Noel J Taylor Mile, were both opened up to older horses.
Race results
| Year | Month | Horse | Owner | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | May | Mach Shard[1] | Mrs K J Purdon, Mrs C Nausbaum, Mrs T L Whittaker | Crystal Hackett (J)[2] | 3:17.71 |
| 2023 | Apr | Self Assured | Mrs J L Feiss | Natalie Rasmussen[3] | 3:18.8 |
| 2022 | Apr | Majestic Cruiser | D S Glynn & Mrs H R Glynn | Cameron Hart | 3:13.1 |
| 2021 | Apr | Copy That | M W & M T Butterworth | Maurice McKendry | 3:18.81 |
| 2020 | not raced | ||||
| 2019 | May | Spankem[4] | Mrs GJ Kennard, PI Kennard, Breckon Racing Syndicate, JA Gibbs MNZM, Mrs A Gibbs, GA Woodham, Mrs KJ Woodham. | Natalie Rasmussen | 3:17.6 |
| 2018 | Apr | Eamon Maguire | BD Sceats, GJ Anderson, R Chalklin, SR Pulley, AD Gow, Mrs PP Gillan | Natalie Rasmussen | 3:15.7 |
| 2017 | Apr | Lazarus | Mrs GJ Kennard, PI Kennard, TG Casey, KJ Riseley | Mark Purdon | 3:25.2 |
| 2016 | Apr | Field Marshall | Mrs S A Brown, S B Brown | Dexter Dunn | 3:15.8 |
| 2015 | Apr | Sky Major | Mrs K J Purdon, T G Casey, Clear View Racing No 4 Syndicate, J Lohman, T F Henderson, The Anzac Racing Syndicate | Zac Butcher | 3:15.6 |
| 2014 | May | Elios | Bennett Bloodstock Ltd, C Eynon, M R McKinnon, G Rutledge, B Destounis | John Dunn | 3:17.4 |
| 2013 | May | Christen Me | C J Roberts, V L Purdon | Dexter Dunn | 3:17.7 |
| 2012 | May | Mustang Mach | K Farah, A Kheir, G Braude, M Gordon | Dexter Dunn | 3:18.0 |
| 2011 | May | Franco Emirate | R E Nieper | Jim Curtin | 3:18.0 |
| 2010 | May | Tintin In America | ATC Trot 2008 Syndicate | David Butcher | 3:15.8 |
| 2009 | May | Auckland Reactor | Auckland Reactor Ltd | Mark Purdon | 3:18.8 |
| 2008 | May | Gotta Go Cullen | I D Dobson | Tony Herlihy | 3:22.9 |
| 2007 | May | Monkey King | Cavalla Bloodstock Limited | Steven Reid | 3:23.9 |
| 2006 | May | Mainland Banner | I D Dobson, S J Dobson, Lynne Umar | Ricky May | 3:23.5 |
| 2005 | April | Mi Muchacho | R C Anderson, Ms P C Larsen | Peter Ferguson | 3:23.5 |
| 2004 | April | Elsu | Mrs J Walters/Double Up Synd/Est D Hudson/Mrs P Small | David Butcher | 3:22.2 |
| 2003 | May | Just An Excuse | O Haines, Mrs I K Haines | Todd Mitchell | 3:22.0 |
| 2002 | April | Young Rufus | H Manolitsis, V, T & W Lynch, G J Carey, K R Hyslop | Mark Purdon | 3:21.4 |
| 2001 | March | Tupelo Rose | G L Banks, M J Hanover, J D Curtin | Peter Jones | 3:23.6 |
| 2000 | March | Pic Me Pockets | H R Bosher | Tony Herlihy | 3:19.8 |
| 1999 | April | Homin Hosed | Mrs M A Macey, B L Macey | Todd Mitchell | 3:23.1 |
| 1998 | May | OK Royal | J W Smolenski, M J Ward | Jack Smolenski | 3:20.6 |
| 1997 | April | Agua Caliente | D S Short, Mrs D E J Short, Mrs D E Woods, Miss S M Short | Glen Wolfenden | 3:24.7 |
| 1996 | April | Decision Time | J M Ward | James Stormont | 3:22.3 |
| 1995 | April | Rain Again | B C Madsen | Neil Brady | 3:23.0 |
| 1994 | April | Montana Vance | J B Hart, Mrs K J Purdon, J B Ede, D H Sixton | Tony Herlihy | 3:23.0 |
| 1993 | March | Chokin | Pacers Australia Synd, M Joyce, J Loughnan, B De Boer | Tony Herlihy | 3:23.3 |
| 1992 | April | Abdias | J Butcher, Mrs C M Butcher | Philip Butcher | 3:27.0 |
| 1991 | April | Christopher Vance | R R Reid, Lorna Reid Syndicate, Mrs J C Reid | Tony Herlihy | 3:19.5 |
| 1990 | March | Alert Fulla | J Friedhof | Maurice McKendry | 3:25.8 |
| 1989 | March | Dillon Dean | D P Dwyer, Mrs H M C Burley | Colin De Filippi | 3:22.7 |
| 1988 | February | Rostriever Hanover | I A Munro, Mrs A H Munro | Patrick O'Reilly | 3:23.5 |
| 1986 | December | Trident | The Horseplayers Syndicate | John Hay | 3:25.8 |
| 1985 | December | Placid Victor | Mrs L G Wilson | Maurice McKendry | 3:23.2 |
| 1984 | December | Roydon Glen | R A McKenzie | Fred Fletcher | 3:25.4 |
| 1983 | December | Nostradamus | W J Francis & P I Renwick | Peter N Jones | 3:32.4 |
| 1982 | December | Hilarious Guest | M G Vermeulen | Peter Wolfenden | 3:26.2 |
| 1981 | December | Melton Monarch | J S Dalgety | Barry Purdon | 3:26.5 |
| 1980 | December | John Tudor | H T & A P Dodds & B C Newton | Thomas H Knowles | 3:29.3 |
| 1979 | December | Tempest Tiger | P K Ryder | Jack Smolenski | 3:27.9 |
| 1978 | March | Sapling | G C Cruickshank & R Given | Henry Skinner | 3:26.4 |
| 1978 | December | Locarno | B J & E J Francis | Robin D Butt | 3:34.6 |
| 1977 | March | Stanley Rio | W J Francis & G B & J B Noble | John B Noble | 3:28.4 |
| 1976 | March | Forto Prontezza | Mrs E & A R J McNaught | Henry Skinner | 3:29.2 |
| 1975 | March | Josias | J & Mrs C M Butcher | Robert F Mitchell | 3:29.6 |
| 1974 | March | Speedy Guest | W F Woolley | Jack Smolenski | 3:28.8 |
| 1973 | March | Tonton Macoute | N M Allcock & W E Ross | A K Holmes | 3:10 |
| 1972 | March | Scottish Warrior | R A McKenzie | Charlie Hunter | 3:10.2 |
| 1970 | December | Sam Tryax | Mrs & R C Whitford | Barry J Anderson | 3:11.6 |
| 1969 | December | Western Ridge | T E Renshaw | Reg J Weatherley | 3:14.2 |
| 1968 | December | Bewitched | G B Noble | John B Noble | 2:55.8 |
| 1967 | December | Governor Frost | C Hadley | Peter Wolfenden | 2:55.4 |