Karaka Millions Series

Millions of Reasons

New Zealand's richest raceday has been enhanced further, with the Karaka Millions Series offering graduates of NZB’s Sales the opportunity to compete for a share in the TAB Karaka Millions races. 

Just twelve short months after the yearlings make their sale ring debut, they are eligible to compete in the lucrative $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO race and another twelve months later they will be able to contest the boosted $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO race. Announced in 2023, the Series now includes two new $200,000 bonuses for New Owners and Book 2 horses. Read about them here

The “KM” logo displayed on the nominations and fields produced by NZTR denotes that the horse is qualified for a start in the two TAB-sponsored features for graduates.

All yearlings and weanlings purchased at Karaka are eligible for the Series. To nominate your purchase following a Sale, email [email protected] or call +64 9 298 0055. Entry deadlines apply, check the Terms & Conditions for the relevant sale for which the horse was purchased from. 

The Race Towards the 2025 TAB Karaka Millions 2YO

Velocious
2024 $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO winner Velocious (NZ).

During the incredible 2024 TAB Karaka Millions Raceday, Go Racing triumphed with Velocious (Written Tycoon) in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO to snap the seven-year reign of Te Akau Racing. Velocious was a $190,000 purchase from the Book 1 draft of breeders Inglewood Stud at Karaka 2023.

Champion expat jockey James McDonald returned to his old stomping ground to take the mount on Velocious, and he played his part to perfection. 

Runner-up Damask Rose was offered by Milan Park at Karaka, where she was bought for $200,000 by David Ellis – the purchaser of all of the previous seven winners of the race. The third-placed Full Force was a $135,00 purchase by Benner Racing from the draft of Kilgravin Lodge. 

$1.5 million Opportunity in the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO 

2024 Karaka Millions 3YO winner Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel).

The $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) is becoming one of the brightest highlights on the New Zealand racing calendar, and now Roger James and Robert Wellwood have won it twice in a row.

The Cambridge trainers saddled Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) to defeat a star-studded field in 2023, and they repeated that result at Ellerslie in 2024 with the ultra-talented Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel).

Bought by James and Wellwood for $625,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2022, Orchestral has earned $876,550 with three wins and two placings from her six starts so far for owners Colin and Helen Litt.

Your Invite On Course in 2025

Karaka Millions Raceday
TAB Karaka Millions Twilight Meeting

TAB Karaka Millions Raceday
Venue: Ellerslie Racecourse
Date: January 2025 (tbc)
Dress: Cocktail Racewear
Watch: Trackside Premier, Trackside 1 or LOVERACING.nz

$1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m)
$1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m)
$1m Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic 4YO (1600m)
$500,000 Group Two Westbury Classic (1400m)
$225,000 Group Three Brighthill Farm Concorde Handicap (1200m)
$225,000 Group Three Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m)

Eligible Horses for 2024 Races

Horses Eligible for 2024 Karaka Millions 2YO (YOB 2021)
Horses Eligible for 2024 Karaka Millions 3YO (YOB 2020)

Terms & Conditions

Karaka Million Terms & Conditions - 2024 (for 2022 Weanlings & 2023 Yearlings)
Karaka Millions Terms & Conditions - 2025 (for 2023 Weanlings & 2024 Yearlings)