Stakes and dates confirmed for 2YO Trotters

A suite of nine Group and Listed races for two-year-old trotters has been confirmed for this season.

In total, the juvenile trotters will be chasing harness racing stakes of more than $600,000 from September through to December.

Their season will kick off with the North Island Juvenile Trotting Championship at Alexandra Park on Friday September 13.

The first of seven races to be held at Addington will be the Sires’ Stakes Prelude at Addington on September 20 followed seven days later by the Group 3 Entain 2YO Trot ($50.000).

The NZB Harness Million ($75,000) will then go on October 11, and the Macca Lodge Sires’ Stakes 2YO Trotting Fillies Classique a fortnight later. It’s a Group 3, worth $45,000.

The first of three Group 1s will be the IRT Sires’ Stakes 2YO Trotters Championship ($120,000) on Show day during New Zealand Cup week.

The end of November will see the running of the $100,000 Group 1 Ace of Clubs and the Ace of Hearts for the Colts and Geldings, and the Fillies. They will be raced on New Zealand Oaks day at Addington on November 29.

The year finishes with the first ever running of the Golden Gait 2YO Trot at Alexandra Park on December 20.

For all races first time winners will be eligible for the $12,000 Entain two-year-old bonus. If the winner has already won the bonus and the second-placed horse hasn’t then the runner-up will be eligible for a $6000 bonus.

2YO Group and Feature races – 2024

September 13 – NI Juvenile Trotting Championship ($25,000) – Alexandra Park
September 20 – Sires’ Stakes Prelude ($25,000) – Addington
September 27 – Group 3 Entain 2YO Trot ($50,000) – Addington
October 11 – NZB Harness Million No 5 ($75,000) – Addington
October 25 – Group 3 Macca Lodge Sires Stakes 2YO Trotting Fillies Classique ($45,000) – Addington
November 15 – Group 1 IRT Sires’ Stakes 2YO Trotters Championship ($120,000) – Addington
November 29 – Group 1 Ace of Club 2YO Colts and Geldings ($100,000) – Addington
November 29 – Group 1 Ace of Hearts 2YO Fillies Trot ($100,000) – Addington
December 20 – Golden Gait ($100,000) – Alexandra Park

From Harness Racing New Zealand