KEY POINTS:
The Auckland Racing Club's Christmas Carnival is going to be even hotter this summer, with further prizemoney increases for premier races.
The announcement was made during the ARC's launch of its summer season of racing held at Ellerslie yesterday.
The New Zealand Herald Christmas Carnival, featuring nine group-rated races, has prizemoney of more than $1.7 million.
An additional $115,000 in stakes has been added to the carnival, with boosts to four of the major races in addition to an increase in the minimum stakes payable on the two premier racedays.
The notable increases are:
Boxing Day:
* Group-one Zabeel Classic - $175,000 to $200,000.
* Group-two Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic - $100,000 to $120,000.
New Year's Day:
* Group-two New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes - $100,000 to $120,000.
* Group-two Rich Hill Mile - $100,000 to $120,000.
All races at the two premier meetings will be run for a minimum of $20,000.
"The New Zealand Herald Christmas Carnival holds a special place in the hearts of all racing enthusiasts," said ARC chief executive Chris Weaver.
"We are delighted to provide an additional boost to several of the feature races to cement their place as the flagships for this event.
"The club has increased total stakes for the carnival by close to a quarter of a million dollars this year as we reap the benefits of the taxation changes that took effect at the start of the racing season."
Nominations for several of the feature events at the carnival closed on Monday, along with entries for the two major events in Auckland Cup week, the $700,000 Mercedes Derby and the $700,000 SkyCity Auckland Cup.
The races involved are: Group-two Great Northern Guineas, group-one Waiwera Infinity Railway Handicap, group-two Speights City of Auckland Cup, Dunstan Feeds Championship, group-one Mercedes Derby and group-one SkyCity Auckland Cup.
The 2006 Auckland Cup winner Pentane is one of 129 nominations for this year's race, as is the 2006 runner-up, Zabeat.
Geelong Cup winner Mandela, who ran creditably in the Melbourne Cup, is also nominated, as are proven 3200m performers Envoy, Gorgeous George, Three Chimneys and the Australian-trained Pantani.
Two Thousand Guineas winner, Magic Cape, is among the nominations for the Mercedes Derby along with 1000 Guineas placegetter, Velvet and Satin.
Also nominated is the group-one-placed He's No Pie Eater, who ran third in the Spring Championship Stakes at Randwick for trainer Graeme Rogerson.
The Auckland Racing Club is looking to build on the success of the inaugural Auckland Cup week in March last year, particularly as this summer celebrates a 150 year milestone for the Ellerslie Racecourse.
At stake across the summer is more than $200,000 in prizes in six separate fashion competitions. The race to win will be as hot on the al fresco Ellerslie catwalk as it will be on the track.
"The message is clear," said Weaver. "It's time to plan your summer racing wardrobe and help create the fashion tradition in Auckland that's so firmly established as part of racing across the Tasman.
"We were delighted with how Aucklanders embraced the first Auckland Cup week.
"Now we are really looking forward to more people emulating the style seen at Randwick [Sydney] and Flemington [Melbourne] as part of the celebration of racing, summer and our amazing city."
