Zabeel Classic

The Zabeel Classic is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race run at weight-for-age over a distance of 2000 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on Boxing Day, a raceday steeped in tradition that frequently attracts in excess of 20,000 Aucklanders to the famous course.

Zabeel Classic

Group I race
Location	Ellerslie Racecourse Auckland, New Zealand
Inaugurated	1985
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Sponsor	Cambridge Stud (2020)
Website	Ellerslie Racecourse
Race information
Distance	2000m
Surface	Turf
Track	Right-handed
Qualification	Open
Weight	Weight-for-age
Purse	NZ$200,000 (2020)

The Zabeel Classic is named in honour of Zabeel, son of Sir Tristram and four-time New Zealand champion sire.

The race was formerly known as the Auckland Classic and later the Japan Racing Association Classic.

List of winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer(s)	Time	Second	Third
2020	Concert Hall 57	Vincent Colgan	Roger James & Robert Wellwood	2:01.93	Supera 57	In A Twinkling 59
2019	True Enough 59	James McDonald	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman	2:01.24	Fiscal Fantasy 57	Beauden 59
2018	Danzdanzdance 56.5	Opie Bosson	Chris Gibbs & Michelle Bradley	2.08.18	Lizzie L’Amour 57	Jon Snow 59
2017	Authentic Paddy 59	Trudy Thornton	Lisa Latta, Awapuni	2.06.31 (dead)	Lizzie L’Amour 57	Volkstok’n’barrell 59
2016	Consensus 57	Alysha Collett	Stephen McKee	2.01.25	Volkstok’n’barrell 59	Authentic Paddy 59
2015	Kawi 59	Leith Innes	Allan Sharrock	2.04.30	Stolen Dance 56.5	Authentic Paddy 59
2014	Soriano 57	Rory Hutchings	Graeme & Debbie Rogerson	2.02.30	Weregoingtogetcha 58.5	Ponderosa Miss 56.5
2013	Historian 59	Matthew Cameron	Gary Alton	2:05.99	O’Fille 57	Soriano 56.5
2012	Veyron 59	Rogan Norvall	Linda Laing	2:08.19	Shez Sinsational 57	Shootoff 59
2011	Shez Sinsational 56.5	James McDonald	Allan Sharrock	2:02.34	Veyron 59	Doctor Freemantle 59
2010	Booming 59	Vinnie Colgan	Jeff Lynds	2:04.02	Red Ruler 59	Ginga Dude 59
2009[1]	Vosne Romanee 59	Matthew Cameron	Jeff Lynds	2:00.60 Record	Red Ruler 59	Tell A Tale 58.5
2008	Gallions Reach 59	Sam Spratt	Richard Yuill	2:05.69	Willy Smith 59	Overkaast
2007	Sir Slick 59	Bruce Herd	Graeme Nicholson	2:03.81	Xcellent 59	Dezigna 59
2006	Mikki Street	Bruce Herd	Lisa Latta	2:02.84	Sharvasti	Fiscal Madness
2005+	Bazelle 56	Jason Waddell	Paul Jenkins	2:03.72	Kind Return 56	Focal Point 56
2005	St Reims	Leith Innes	Chris McNab	2:03.33	Distinctly Secret	Lashed
2004	Lashed	Opie Bosson	Graeme Rogerson & Stephen Autridge	2:02.62	Penny Gem	El Duce
2003	Hail	Greg Childs	Bruce & Stephen Marsh	2:04.52
2002	Giovana	Peter Johnson	Carol Marshall	2:02.88
2001	Zonda	Damien Oliver	Roger James	2:05.81
2000	Rebel	Linda Ballantyne	Val Langsford	2:04.11
1999	Del Coronado	Paul Taylor	Colin Jillings & Richard Yuill	2:01.24
1998	Vialli	Shane Dye	Dave & Paul O'Sullivan	2:04.49

+ The race was moved from January to December in 2005.

Ellerslie Boxing day meeting

On this day, as well as the Zabeel Classic, Ellerslie holds 9 other races including:

• the Uncle Remus Stakes - 1400m 3YO set weight plus penalties $60,000 (2020).
• the Eight Carat Classic - Group 2, 1600m 3YO set weight $100,000 (2020).
• the Hallmark Stud Handicap - 1200m Open $60,000 (2020).
• the Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final - special conditions $80,000 (2020).

All 10 races at the 2020 meeting had stakes of $50,000 or more.

See also

• Auckland Cup
• Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes
• New Zealand International/Herbie Dyke Stakes
• New Zealand Derby
• Captain Cook Stakes
• Thorndon Mile
• Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand

References

1. AAP. "Monaco flops in Zabeel Classic". The Age. Retrieved 6 March 2011.

• N.Z. Thoroughbred Racing Inc.
• http://www.racenet.com.au
• http://www.nzracing.co.nz
• http://www.tab.co.nz
• http://www.racebase.co.nz
• The Great Decade of New Zealand racing 1970-1980. Glengarry, Jack. William Collins Publishers Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2018 (47th edition). Dennis Ryan, Editor, Racing Media NZ Limited, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2017 (46th edition). Dennis Ryan, Editor, Racing Media NZ Limited, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2008 (37th edition). Bradford, David, Editor. Bradford Publishing Limited, Paeroa, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2005 (34th edition). Bradford, David, Editor. Bradford Publishing Limited, Paeroa, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2004 (33rd edition). Bradford, David, Editor. Bradford Publishing Limited, Paeroa, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2000 (29th edition). Bradford, David, Editor. Bradford Publishing Limited, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1997 (26th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Mike Dillon's Racing Enterprises Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1995 (24th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Mike Dillon's Racing Enterprises Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1994 (23rd edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Meadowset Publishing, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1991 (20th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1987 (16th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1985 (Fourteenth edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1984 (Thirteenth edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1982 (Eleventh edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1981 (Tenth edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1980 (Ninth edition). Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1979 (Eighth edition).Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1978 (Seventh edition).Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
• New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1976. Costello, John, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland.