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Auckland Cup Week is one of New Zealand's major annual thoroughbred racing carnivals and is the country's richest offering stakes in excess of NZ$2.2 million. Held in Auckland in early March, the carnival comprises two days of racing and entertainment at Ellerslie Racecourse - Vodafone Derby Day and Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day.
![The Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup trophy which Auckland Cup Week is named after.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/Auckland_Cup_trophy.jpg/220px-Auckland_Cup_trophy.jpg)
The carnival was first run in 2006.
Auckland Cup Week's feature races are:
Vodafone Derby Day (the first Saturday of the carnival):
- Group 1 New Zealand Derby, over 2400m for 3 year old thoroughbreds
- Group III Haunui Farm Kings Plate, an open race over 1200m
- Group III McKee Family Sunline Vase, over 2100m for 3 year old fillies
- Group III Mufhasa Stakes, over 1400m for 3 year olds
- Rangitoto Classic, a special condition race over 1500m
Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day (second Saturday of the carnival):
- Group I Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup, an open handicap over 3200m
- Group I Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes, at Weight-for-age over 2000m
- Group I Sistema Stakes, over 1200m for 2 year olds
In addition, Auckland Cup Week plays host to additional off-track entertainment including New Zealand's national fashions in the field final, The Ned Prix de Fashion, which will see its winner take home not only the national title, but a trip to Australia to compete in Victoria Racing Club's MYER Fashions on the Field competition as part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.[1]
The dates for Auckland Cup Week 2021 were Saturday 6 March (Vodafone Derby Day) and Saturday 13 March (Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day).
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "The Ned Prix de Fashion | 6 March 2021 | Ellerslie Racecourse". ellerslie. Retrieved 2020-01-28.