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New Zealand Messenger Championship
Group I race
Location	Alexandra Park; Auckland, New Zealand
Inaugurated	1967
Race type	Standardbred - Flat racing
Website	www.alexandrapark.co.nz
Race information
Distance	2700m
Surface	Dirt
Track	Right-handed oval
Qualification	Open class pacers, from 2022 onwards (Historically for four-year-old pacers only)
Purse	NZ $106,150 (2024)

The New Zealand Messenger Championship is a Group One event for standardbred pacing horses in New Zealand, run at Alexandra Park.

Race scheduling

In recent years the race has been held in late April or early May.

It was previously raced on the same race-night as the Rowe Cup and Northern Trotting Derby for trotters and the New Zealand Sires Stakes Championship.

The New Zealand Messenger Championship had traditionally been restricted to 4 year-old horses and was the most prestigious race for that age group in New Zealand, and a key guide to feature races in the following season like the New Zealand Trotting Cup and Auckland Cup. This is evidenced by New Zealand Messenger Championship winners and subsequent Cup victors such as:

For the 2013, 2014 and 2015 years five year olds were also eligible to compete in the race. Then from 2016 it reverted to four year olds only. However, in 2022 the New Zealand Messenger and its traditional lead up race, the Noel J Taylor Mile, were both opened up to older horses.

Race results

Year	Month	Horse	Owner	Driver	Time
2024	May	Mach Shard^[1]	Mrs K J Purdon, Mrs C Nausbaum, Mrs T L Whittaker	Crystal Hackett (J)^[2]	3:17.71
2023	Apr	Self Assured	Mrs J L Feiss	Natalie Rasmussen^[3]	3:18.8
2022	Apr	Majestic Cruiser	D S Glynn & Mrs H R Glynn	Cameron Hart	3:13.1
2021	Apr	Copy That	M W & M T Butterworth	Maurice McKendry	3:18.81
2020	not raced
2019	May	Spankem^[4]	Mrs GJ Kennard, PI Kennard, Breckon Racing Syndicate, JA Gibbs MNZM, Mrs A Gibbs, GA Woodham, Mrs KJ Woodham.	Natalie Rasmussen	3:17.6
2018	Apr	Eamon Maguire	BD Sceats, GJ Anderson, R Chalklin, SR Pulley, AD Gow, Mrs PP Gillan	Natalie Rasmussen	3:15.7
2017	Apr	Lazarus	Mrs GJ Kennard, PI Kennard, TG Casey, KJ Riseley	Mark Purdon	3:25.2
2016	Apr	Field Marshall	Mrs S A Brown, S B Brown	Dexter Dunn	3:15.8
2015	Apr	Sky Major	Mrs K J Purdon, T G Casey, Clear View Racing No 4 Syndicate, J Lohman, T F Henderson, The Anzac Racing Syndicate	Zac Butcher	3:15.6
2014	May	Elios	Bennett Bloodstock Ltd, C Eynon, M R McKinnon, G Rutledge, B Destounis	John Dunn	3:17.4
2013	May	Christen Me	C J Roberts, V L Purdon	Dexter Dunn	3:17.7
2012	May	Mustang Mach	K Farah, A Kheir, G Braude, M Gordon	Dexter Dunn	3:18.0
2011	May	Franco Emirate	R E Nieper	Jim Curtin	3:18.0
2010	May	Tintin In America	ATC Trot 2008 Syndicate	David Butcher	3:15.8
2009	May	Auckland Reactor	Auckland Reactor Ltd	Mark Purdon	3:18.8
2008	May	Gotta Go Cullen	I D Dobson	Tony Herlihy	3:22.9
2007	May	Monkey King	Cavalla Bloodstock Limited	Steven Reid	3:23.9
2006	May	Mainland Banner	I D Dobson, S J Dobson, Lynne Umar	Ricky May	3:23.5
2005	April	Mi Muchacho	R C Anderson, Ms P C Larsen	Peter Ferguson	3:23.5
2004	April	Elsu	Mrs J Walters/Double Up Synd/Est D Hudson/Mrs P Small	David Butcher	3:22.2
2003	May	Just An Excuse	O Haines, Mrs I K Haines	Todd Mitchell	3:22.0
2002	April	Young Rufus	H Manolitsis, V, T & W Lynch, G J Carey, K R Hyslop	Mark Purdon	3:21.4
2001	March	Tupelo Rose	G L Banks, M J Hanover, J D Curtin	Peter Jones	3:23.6
2000	March	Pic Me Pockets	H R Bosher	Tony Herlihy	3:19.8
1999	April	Homin Hosed	Mrs M A Macey, B L Macey	Todd Mitchell	3:23.1
1998	May	OK Royal	J W Smolenski, M J Ward	Jack Smolenski	3:20.6
1997	April	Agua Caliente	D S Short, Mrs D E J Short, Mrs D E Woods, Miss S M Short	Glen Wolfenden	3:24.7
1996	April	Decision Time	J M Ward	James Stormont	3:22.3
1995	April	Rain Again	B C Madsen	Neil Brady	3:23.0
1994	April	Montana Vance	J B Hart, Mrs K J Purdon, J B Ede, D H Sixton	Tony Herlihy	3:23.0
1993	March	Chokin	Pacers Australia Synd, M Joyce, J Loughnan, B De Boer	Tony Herlihy	3:23.3
1992	April	Abdias	J Butcher, Mrs C M Butcher	Philip Butcher	3:27.0
1991	April	Christopher Vance	R R Reid, Lorna Reid Syndicate, Mrs J C Reid	Tony Herlihy	3:19.5
1990	March	Alert Fulla	J Friedhof	Maurice McKendry	3:25.8
1989	March	Dillon Dean	D P Dwyer, Mrs H M C Burley	Colin De Filippi	3:22.7
1988	February	Rostriever Hanover	I A Munro, Mrs A H Munro	Patrick O'Reilly	3:23.5
1986	December	Trident	The Horseplayers Syndicate	John Hay	3:25.8
1985	December	Placid Victor	Mrs L G Wilson	Maurice McKendry	3:23.2
1984	December	Roydon Glen	R A McKenzie	Fred Fletcher	3:25.4
1983	December	Nostradamus	W J Francis & P I Renwick	Peter N Jones	3:32.4
1982	December	Hilarious Guest	M G Vermeulen	Peter Wolfenden	3:26.2
1981	December	Melton Monarch	J S Dalgety	Barry Purdon	3:26.5
1980	December	John Tudor	H T & A P Dodds & B C Newton	Thomas H Knowles	3:29.3
1979	December	Tempest Tiger	P K Ryder	Jack Smolenski	3:27.9
1978	March	Sapling	G C Cruickshank & R Given	Henry Skinner	3:26.4
1978	December	Locarno	B J & E J Francis	Robin D Butt	3:34.6
1977	March	Stanley Rio	W J Francis & G B & J B Noble	John B Noble	3:28.4
1976	March	Forto Prontezza	Mrs E & A R J McNaught	Henry Skinner	3:29.2
1975	March	Josias	J & Mrs C M Butcher	Robert F Mitchell	3:29.6
1974	March	Speedy Guest	W F Woolley	Jack Smolenski	3:28.8
1973	March	Tonton Macoute	N M Allcock & W E Ross	A K Holmes	3:10
1972	March	Scottish Warrior	R A McKenzie	Charlie Hunter	3:10.2
1970	December	Sam Tryax	Mrs & R C Whitford	Barry J Anderson	3:11.6
1969	December	Western Ridge	T E Renshaw	Reg J Weatherley	3:14.2
1968	December	Bewitched	G B Noble	John B Noble	2:55.8
1967	December	Governor Frost	C Hadley	Peter Wolfenden	2:55.4