First rankings out for New Zealand Trotting Cup and Dominion Trot

The first harness racing rankings are out for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup and the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot, to be held at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11.

Nominations for the two Group 1s closed late last month (34 in the New Zealand Cup and 41 for the Dominion).

In the $1m New Zealand Cup Swayzee, as defending champion, 2024 Auckland Cup winner Republican Party, Inter Dominion champion Leap To Fame and 2025 Maurice Holmes Vase winner Mo’unga have automatically qualified and fill the top four places.

Of the other top Kiwi chances, star northern pacer Merlin is rated at fifth, ahead of Don’t Stop Dreaming  with Akuta at eighth, We Walk By Faith at 9 and Chase A Dream at 10.

Two trotters have already qualified for the Dominion Trot – Bet N Win after his win in 2025 Rowe Cup and Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix.

They are ranked first and second with multiple Group 1 winners Oscar Bonavena and Muscle Mountain at 3 and 4, followed by Victorian visitor Keayang Chucky.

His stablemate Keayang Zahara, who caused such a sensation last year with 15 wins in a row, is ranked at 13th.

The first of the automatic qualifiers for the Dominion is Friday’s Ordeal Cup at Addington, followed by the Worthy Queen (October 10) and the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup (October 17) while the second automatic qualifier for the New Zealand Cup is the New Brighton Cup this Friday followed by the Holmes DG at Alexandra Park on October 3 and the Canterbury Classic at Addington (October 17).

Both the NZ Cup and the Dominion will be limited to 15 starters.

Rankings will be updated weekly with the final rankings coming out after the Kaikoura meeting on Monday, November 3.

Rankings can be viewed click here 

From Harness Racing New Zealand