Challenge Stakes (New Zealand)

The Challenge Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and is New Zealand's first Group One race of the season. It is run over a distance of 1400m on the first Saturday in September. It was formerly known as the Mudgway Stakes, Mudgway Challenge Stakes and Makfi Challenge Stakes. It was renamed the Tarzino Trophy in 2017.[1] named after Tarzino, winner of the 2015 Victoria Derby and 2016 Rosehill Guineas and an active sire at Westbury Stud.

Mudgway Stakes
Group I race
LocationHastings Racecourse
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Inaugurated1991
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Websitewww.hawkesbayracing.co.nz
Race information
Distance1400m (7 furlongs)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds and up
WeightWeight for Age
PurseNZ$200,000

The race is the first of the Hawkes Bay Triple Crown events and is followed by:

- the 1600m Windsor Park Plate in late September, and

- the 2040m Spring Classic on the first Saturday in October.

The race's timing, weight-for-age conditions and the reliably dry weather of the region at that time of the year combine to ensure that the race sees one of the strongest fields assembled in any race all season as a number of horses heading towards a campaign in Australia choose it as a starting point.

As a result, the winners list is extraordinarily strong for a New Zealand race. Included among the winners are champion mare Sunline, the brilliant Xcellent, W S Cox Plate winners Poetic Prince and Ocean Park and the Australian visitor and subsequent European Group 1 winner Starcraft. Seachange, Kawi and Melody Belle were all back-to-back winners of the race.

As hard as it is to believe by looking at the winners list, the race was only given Group 2 status until 2003, when Miss Potential took out the first Group 1 running of the race.

Winners of the Challenge Stakes

Year
Winner
2019 Melody Belle
2018 Melody Belle
2017 Close Up
2016 Kawi
2015 Kawi
2014 I Do
2013 Survived
2012 Ocean Park
2011 Mufhasa
2010 Keep The Peace
2009 Tavistock
2008 Fritzy Boy
2007 Seachange
2006 Seachange
2005 Xcellent
2004 Starcraft
2003 (at Wanganui) Miss Potential
2002 Sunline
2001 Fritz
2000 Cent Home
1999 Hero
1998 Batavian
1997 Pakaraka Star
1996 Vialli
1995 Marconee
1994 Snap
1993 Calm Harbour
1992 Surfers Paradise
1991 Rough Habit
1990 Flying Luskin
1989 Catering King
1988 Poetic Prince
1987 Field Dancer
1986 Catering King
1985 Shagolvin
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See also

A list of winners of all 3 Hawkes Bay Triple Crown races and other major NZ races is at Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand.

References

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