Canterbury Jockey Club Secures 2000 Guineas Winner for NZB Kiwi

The Canterbury Jockey Club (CJC) has officially selected Romanoff, the winner of the New Zealand 2000 Guineas, to represent its slot in the prestigious NZB Kiwi race. This event, boasting a total prize pool of $5 million, will take place at Auckland’s Ellerslie Racecourse on March 7, 2024. The decision highlights the strong local connection as Romanoff, a three-year-old gelding, narrowly triumphed over stablemate Affirmative Action in a dramatic finish at Riccarton Park in November.

Trained by Pam Gerard in Matamata, Romanoff secured victory by a mere nose on a day marked by challenging weather conditions. This win not only earned him acclaim but also a spot in the Southern Hemisphere’s richest race for three-year-olds. Gerard, who has deep roots in the Canterbury region, expressed her excitement about this opportunity. “Ballymore Racing is excited and proud to have taken up the CJC slot for the NZB Kiwi. It was a brilliant win in the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton and picking up the opportunity to run for an extra million-dollar bonus,” she stated.

The CJC had previously announced that it would use its slot in the NZB Kiwi as a strategic incentive for participants in its annual Guineas events during Cup week. Connections of the New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner are given the first option to negotiate for this slot. Romanoff will compete in the iconic Fletcher tartan colours, representing a group of owners that includes Dame Sian Elias.

CJC Chair Dianne Logie shared her enthusiasm, saying, “The CJC is delighted that the strategic direction the Club took when buying a slot has continued this year with the winner of the NZ 2000 Guineas, Romanoff, representing the Club. On behalf of the CJC, I wish to thank the owners for reaching an agreement with us.”

Slot races, including the NZB Kiwi, function differently than traditional races. An individual or company must purchase a ‘slot’ to secure a starting position. Each slot in the NZB Kiwi carries a minimum reserve price of $450,000, with a total of 14 slots available. Slot holders can nominate their horse or negotiate with other owners for a share of the prize money.

With the dominant winner of the 1000 Guineas, Well Written, already confirmed to represent Entain in the NZB Kiwi, both winners of the Riccarton Park Group 1 features are set to compete at Ellerslie. Following his victory, Romanoff took a short break at Gerard’s spelling farm and has since returned to training, appearing stronger and more vibrant than ever.

Romanoff’s upcoming schedule includes participation in the Group 2 Levin Classic at Trentham on January 3 and the 3yo Karaka Millions on January 24, as preparatory races leading to the NZB Kiwi, which is contested over a distance of 1500 metres. The excitement builds as the racing community looks forward to this high-stakes event on March 7, where local talent will be prominently featured.