Waikato Sprint
| Group I race | |
| Location | Te Rapa Racecourse Hamilton, New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1974 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $300,000 | Imperatriz | Opie Bosson | Mark Walker | 1:20.70 (good) |
| 2022 | $220,000 | Levante | Ryan Elliot | Ken & Bev Kelso, Matamata | 1:23.56 |
| 2021 | $200,000 | Avantage | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards, Matamata | 1:20.87 |
| 2020 | $200,000 | Te Akau Shark | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards, Matamata | 1:21.7 |
| 2019 | $200,000 | Melody Belle | Troy Harris | Jamie Richards, Matamata | 1:22.62 |
| 2018 | $200,000 | Start Wondering | Jonathan Parkes | J J & Evan Rayner, Whanganui | 1:25.80 |
| 2017 | $200,000 | Start Wondering | Jonathan 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 | $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 | $100,000 | Sedecrem | Andrew Calder | Colin Jillings & Richard Yuill, Takanini | 1:22.17 |
| 2004 | $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 | $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 | $100,000 | Avedon | Chris Johnson | Patrick Campbell, Awapuni | 1:22.47 |
| 1996 | $100,000 | Allegro | Gary Grylls | Chris & Coleen Wood, Cambridge | 1:22.32 |
| 1995 | $100,000 | Snap | Lance O'Sullivan | Dave & Paul O'Sullivan, Matamata | 1:26.14 |
| 1994 | $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 | $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 | $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 | $48,000 | Super Tai 57.5 | David Peake | Frederick Hill, Stratford | 1:21.09 |
| 1984 | $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 | $31,200 | Givenchy 57 | David Peake | Ray Verner, Takanini | 1:25.3 |
| 1981 | $31,000 | Mun Lee 56 | Greg Childs | Malcolm Smith, Awapuni | 1:22.7 |
| 1980 | $31,000 | Coobers Queen | Gary Phillips | Peter Melville, Kaponga | 1:26.87 |
| 1979 | $31,000 | March Legend 57.5 | Roger Lang | Donald Nash, Takanini | 1:26.0 |
| 1978 | $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 | $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 |