Champions Day

  • 8 March 2025
  • Ellerslie Racecourse

Champions Day

When
8 March 2025
Start times
Gates open at 11:30am
First race starts at 1:00pm
Where
Ellerslie Racecourse
Ellerslie Racecourse

Jam packed with features that everyone wants to win

This inaugural event is no doubt going to be an incredible day of racing so get set to frock-up, rock-up and cheer yourself hoarse.

It’s your chance to witness some of NZ’s best horses & jockeys vie for sporting glory with a host of black-type races run across the day including the Trackside New Zealand Derby, the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes, the Sistema Stakes and the hotly anticipated 3.5M NZB Kiwi slot race. The racing is truly out of this world, you won’t find another day on the New Zealand racing calendar like it.

Add to this the national fashions in the field final, The Ned Prix de Fashion, an array of quality hospitality options to choose from, free children’s entertainment, as well as music and more from the team behind The Grand Tour Racing Festival, and an epic afterparty planned, our newly minted Champions Day will be one you’ll not want to miss.

 

Tickets & Hospitality

Feature Races

  • Race
    TBC
    Start
    TBC
    Name

    Group 3 Haunui Farm King's Plate

  • Race
    TBC
    Start
    TBC
    Name

    Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase

  • Race
    TBC
    Start
    TBC
    Name

    Group 1 Sistema Stakes

  • Race
    TBC
    Start
    TBC
    Name

    Group 1 $1M Trackside New Zealand Derby

  • Race
    TBC
    Start
    TBC
    Name

    Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes

  • Race
    TBC
    Start
    TBC
    Name

    Group 2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup

  • Race
    TBC
    Start
    TBC
    Name

    NZB Kiwi

  • Race
    TBC
    Start
    TBC
    Name

    Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes

Fashion and Entertainment

The Ned Prix de Fashion

Champions Day plays host to New Zealand's fashions in the field final, The Ned Prix de Fashion. the most sought-after racewear prize in the country, returns to the main dais in 2025.

Once again we have a $15,000+ winner-takes-all prize package up for grabs courtesy of our friends at The Ned as well as the coveted sash and national racewear title. See the link to learn more about how you could qualify for the national final and have your chance to be the fairest of them all.

Also, new for this year is our The Ned Fashion Garden precinct. Nestled within the heart of our fashion lawn gardens, it was created with the most fashion forward racegoer in mind to enjoy the raceday without missing a beat of the day's fashion competitions. Tickets are limited so make sure you grab yours today!

The Ned Prix de Fashion 2025
The Grand Tour Pukekohe Park

The Grand Tour

The Grand Tour is back and better than ever.

Music, style and entertainment return to Ellerslie for the final Auckland stop of The Grand Tour Racing Festival.

New for season three is The Grand Tour Zone to keep you entertained between races and The Grand Tour x Zeffer Bar, where you can park up, grab a drink and rest those hooves. We'll also have a hot line-up of music hitting The Grand Tour stage so stay tuned for an announcement!

The Grand Tour

Need a stable for the night?

If you require accommodation in Auckland to rest your hooves following a big day trackside, our partner SkyCity Auckland has you covered.

SkyCity Auckland offers a trio of exceptional accommodations that cater to a variety of tastes and preferences with SkyCity HotelThe Grand by SkyCity, and Horizon by SkyCity.

We’re excited to offer our racegoers an exclusive 20% discount on the best available rates at these three locations, valid until the end of March 2025. Simply click the hyperlinks above to automatically apply the discount to your booking. For more details about each venue, please see below.

Learn more

    Our thanks to

    Major Partners