Ellerslie elevated – ‘A’ grade Auckland Racing Club venue key as NZTR’s reclassifies all Kiwi racecourses

Ellerslie will become New Zealand’s premier racecourse and one of five metropolitan venues under changes unveiled by the thoroughbred industry regulator.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) provided an update to its clubs on Tuesday, revealing that Te Rapa, Hastings, Trentham and Riccarton would all be viewed as metropolitan status racecourses.

There will be 18 provincial tracks – including Pukekohe, Matamata, Tauranga and Otaki – while there will be 11 community venues next season, including the country’s three synthetic courses at Cambridge, Awapuni and Riccarton.

In a further reclassification of New Zealand’s racecourses, metropolitan and provincial tracks will also be split into A and B category race clubs.

Ellerslie, based in New Zealand’s most populated city of Auckland, is the only metropolitan venue to be fit into category A with the four other metropolitan clubs deemed to be B venues.

Eight of the 18 provincial tracks are classified as A level clubs, with 10 classified as B.

“Category placement for next season has been determined on a number of factors including geographical location, proximity to other racing venues, population, race meeting volume, wagering turnover, access to horse populations, and quality of horses racing at the venue,” the document sent to clubs by NZTR said.

“This work is about ensuring the industry is in the strongest possible position at the conclusion of the current five-year minimum funding guarantee period and aligning a model that supports long-term sustainability beyond that timeframe. 

“The revised venue structure is expected to improve programming outcomes for all participants, enabling horses more regular opportunities for the betterment of turnover.”

In seeking clarification about what the A and B categories for race clubs and tracks means, NZTR general manager of racing Mitch Lamb confirmed to The Straight on Tuesday night that the three categories and A and B levels would determine the minimum prize money levels provided to clubs by the regulator.

“It will play into our club and stakes funding model. We’re still working through, obviously, the finalisation of what those levels will look like next year but essentially those A and B categories will fit into the races that are run at those venues and the minimum stakes tied into them,” Lamb said. 

“(It’s the) same with our club funding model (where) certain actions are taken within the club funding model. 

“Those A and B level categories will tie into the funding received by clubs that are attached to those venues.”

NZTR has not yet been able to confirm its prize money levels for next season as it is locked in negotiations with TAB NZ about what its guaranteed funding will be.

It comes amid predictions by some industry people from outside the regulator that it is facing a financial black hole of up to $16 million next season.

On Friday, NZTR chief executive Matt Ballesty played down budgetary concerns or that stake money may have to be heavily slashed.

“Our preference has always been to maintain or grow (stake money) and that’s where we’ve really focused and think that’s shared by the TAB and Entain, of course,” Ballesty told this publication last week. 

“It’d be a welcome outcome for all participants and I don’t have any reason to believe it won’t be, but we just don’t know until we’ve got a clearer idea of what funding we’ve got to work with.

“Our focus is making sure we’re running NZTR in the best way possible, working on our costs and our outputs.”

The focus on Ellerslie, as New Zealand’s premier track and highest-ranked venue for wagering turnover, is set to take on even greater prominence for the regulator next season.

The tracks favoured most by punters are also likely to be the big winners when it comes to the release of the race date calendar on Wednesday.

“A key objective of the model is ensuring the best available horses are racing at the most appropriate venues, at the right times of the season, to maximise industry performance,” NZTR told clubs. 

“NZTR will continue to prioritise investment into high-performing wagering venues, supporting reliability and optimal utilisation of racing infrastructure. 

“Data and performance trends will continue to inform future decisions, and the new framework is intended to provide greater flexibility and precision in how those decisions are made.”

NZTR plans to unveil its racing fixture for the 2026/27 season at 10am (NZ time) on Wednesday.

NZTR categories of racecourses for 2026/27

Metropolitan

Ellerslie (A) 

Te Rapa (B) 

Hastings (B) 

Trentham (B) 

Riccarton (B)

Provincial

Pukekohe (A) 

Matamata (A) 

Tauranga (A) 

New Plymouth (A) 

Otaki (A) 

Wanganui (A)

Ashburton (A) 

Wingatui (A) 

Rotorua (B) 

Taupo (B) 

Te Aroha (B)

Ruakaka (B) 

Hawera (B) 

Timaru (B) 

Woodville (B)

Waverley (B)

Invercargill (B)

Riverton (B)

Community

Cambridge Synthetic 

Awapuni Synthetic 

Riccarton Synthetic

Tauherenikau 

Waipukurau

Kumara 

Greymouth

Reefton 

Cromwell 

Gore 

Kurow 

Oamaru