Horse race
Waikato Sprint, raced as BCD Group Sprint Location Te Rapa Racecourse Hamilton, New Zealand Inaugurated 1974 Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing Distance 1400m (7 furlongs) Surface Turf Track Left-handed Qualification Three-year-olds and up Weight Weight for Age
The Waikato Sprint currently run as the BCD Group Sprint is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run at Te Rapa Racecourse in Hamilton in early February.
It is currently held on the same day as the Group 1 Herbie Dykes Stakes .
The list of winners includes almost every top-class sprinter-miler to have raced in New Zealand in the last three decades, and is highlighted by the back-to-back victories by champion mare Sunline in 2001-02.
The well-performed gelding Mufhasa won the 2009 and 2011 events (also winning the Telegraph Handicap in both of these years) and was also 2nd in 2012 and 3rd in 2010.
Courier Bay won in both 1987 and 1988 but was unable to get a third win, running second by 1 1/4 lengths to the reigning Cox Plate winner, Poetic Prince , the following year.
Winners of the Waikato Sprint
Year
Stake
Winner
Jockey
Trainer(s)
Time
2024
$400,000
Bonny Lass [ 1] [ 2]
Craig Grylls
Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall
1:21.82 (good)
2023[ 3]
$300,000
Imperatriz
Opie Bosson
Mark Walker
1:20.70 (good)
2022 [ 4]
$220,000
Levante
Ryan Elliot
Ken & Bev Kelso, Matamata
1:23.56
2021 [ 5]
$200,000
Avantage
Opie Bosson
Jamie Richards , Matamata
1:20.87
2020 [ 6]
$200,000
Te Akau Shark
Opie Bosson
Jamie Richards , Matamata
1:21.7
2019 [ 7]
$200,000
Melody Belle
Troy Harris
Jamie Richards , Matamata
1:22.62
2018 [ 8] [ 9]
$200,000
Start Wondering
Johnathan Parkes
J J & Evan Rayner, Whanganui
1:25.80
2017 [ 10] [ 11]
$200,000
Start Wondering
Johnathan Parkes
J J & Evan Rayner, Whanganui
1:21.22
2016
$200,000
Xtravagant
Matt Cameron
Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards , Matamata
1:21.92
2015
$200,000
Sacred Star
Vincent Colgan
Tony Pike, Cambridge
1:20.81
2014
$200,000
Viadana
Craig Grylls
Lance Noble, Matamata
1:22.19
2013
$200,000
Final Touch
Chris Johnson
John & Karen Parsons, Balcairn
1:21.38
2012
$200,000
Veyron
Leith Innes
Linda Laing, Cambridge
1:20.99
2011
$200,000
Mufhasa
Samantha Spratt
Stephen McKee, Ardmore
1:21.09
2010
$200,000
Tavistock
Jason Waddell
Andrew Campbell, Opaki
1:21.30
2009
$200,000
Mufhasa
Samantha Spratt
Stephen McKee, Ardmore
1:22.54
2008[ 12]
$200,000
Seachange
Gavin McKeon
Graeme Sanders, Te Awamutu
1:21.31
2007
$150,000
Darci Brahma
Opie Bosson
Mark Walker, Matamata
1:22.35
2006
$150,000
Kristov
Jason Waddell
Phillip Stevens
1:23.63
2005[ 13]
$100,000
Sedecrem
Andrew Calder
Colin Jillings & Richard Yuill, Takanini
1:22.17
2004[ 14]
$100,000
Sedecrem
Grant Cooksley
Colin Jillings & Richard Yuill, Takanini
1:22.53
2003
$100,000
Tit For Taat
Michael Walker
Wayne Herbert
1:22.66
2002
$100,000
Sunline
Greg Childs
Trevor & Stephen McKee, Takanini
1:21.67
2001
$100,000
Sunline
Greg Childs
Trevor & Stephen McKee, Takanini
1:22.24
2000[ 15]
$100,000
Tall Poppy 56
Jim Walker
Noel Eales, Awapuni
1:21.29
1999
$100,000
Surface
Noel Harris
Noel Eales, Awapuni
1:21.4
1998
$100,000
Rebel
Catherine Huchinson
Ron Langsford
1:21.05
1997 [ 16]
$100,000
Avedon
Chris Johnson
Patrick Campbell, Awapuni[ 17]
1:22.47
1996
$100,000
Allegro
Gary Grylls
Chris & Coleen Wood, Cambridge
1:22.32
1995[ 18]
$100,000
Snap
Lance O'Sullivan
Dave & Paul O'Sullivan , Matamata
1:26.14
1994[ 19]
$100,000
Western Red 53
Brian Hibberd
Paul Jelicich, Avondale
1:21.71
1993
$100,000
Veandercross 57.5
Jim Walker
Chris Turner & John Wheeler, New Plymouth
1:22.08
1992
$100,000
Mrs Selleck 56
Roy McKay
Patrick Busuttin, Foxton
1:20.60
1991[ 20]
$98,000
Mr Tiz 57.5
Lance O'Sullivan
Dave & Paul O'Sullivan , Matamata
1:21.17
1990
Not Held
1989
$117,600
Poetic Prince 57
Noel Harris
John Wheeler, New Plymouth
1:21.40
1988
$117,600
Courier Bay 57.5
David Walsh
G A White
1:23.27
1987[ 21]
$98,000
Courier Bay 57
David Walsh
G A White
1:20.73
1986
$63,000
Tanalyse 57.5
David Walsh
Don Grubb, Fielding
1:21.06
1985[ 22]
$48,000
Super Tai 57.5
David Peake
Frederick Hill, Stratford
1:21.09
1984[ 23]
$37,300
Abit Leica 53
Peter Fearon
Warren Dymond, Stratford
1:21.53
1983
$29,140
Pinson 53
Diane Moseley
Don Couchman, Hawera
1:23.42
1982[ 24]
$31,200
Givenchy 57
David Peake
Ray Verner, Takanini
1:25.3
1981[ 25]
$31,000
Mun Lee 56
Greg Childs
Malcolm Smith, Awapuni
1:22.7
1980[ 26]
$31,000
Coobers Queen
Gary Phillips
Peter Melville, Kaponga
1:26.87
1979[ 27]
$31,000
March Legend 57.5
Roger Lang
Donald Nash, Takanini
1:26.0
1978[ 28]
$27,300
Copper Belt 57.5
Jim Walker
Brian Deacon, Hawera
1:22.4
1977
$20,250
Soliloquy 56
David Medcalfe
Ray Verner, Takanini
1:23.1
1976[ 29]
$16,000
Mop
Pat Trotter
Keith Couper, Hastings
1:22.1
1975
$16,000
Auditor 57.5
Graeme Hare
Wally McEwan & L Gestro, Hawera
1:22.6
1974
$15,000
Kings Romance 57.5
Gary Willetts
Malcolm Smith, New Plymouth
1:23.7
See also
References
^ "Horse racing: Ryan Elliot puts stamp all over Legends Day" . NZ Herald . February 11, 2024.
^ "Stuff" . www.stuff.co.nz .
^ "Race 8 BCD GROUP SPRINT at WAIKATO RC on 11 FEB 2023 | LOVERACING.NZ" .
^ "Race 9 BCD GROUP SPRINT at WAIKATO RC on 12 FEB 2022 | LOVERACING.NZ" .
^ "Race 6 BCD GROUP SPRINT at WAIKATO RC on 13 FEB 2021 | LOVERACING.NZ" .
^ "Race 8 BCD GROUP SPRINT at WAIKATO RC on 8 FEB 2020 | LOVERACING.NZ" .
^ "Race 8 BCD GROUP SPRINT (GROUP 1) at WAIKATO RC on 9 FEB 2019 | LOVERACING.NZ" .
^ "Race 8 BCD GROUP SPRINT at WAIKATO RC on 10 FEB 2018 | LOVERACING.NZ" .
^ New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 2018 (47th edition) . Dennis Ryan, Editor, Racing Media NZ Limited, Auckland, New Zealand.
^ "Race 8 NRM SPRINT (GROUP I) at WAIKATO RC on 11 FEB 2017 | LOVERACING.NZ" .
^ 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.
^ "RACING: One of the best returns to train from Hastings" .
^ 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.