Welcome back to the Entain Edition – a bumper edition after two months since our last newsletter.

As Managing Director of Entain New Zealand, it’s been an extraordinary summer of racing that has put an exclamation point for me on just how special the sport is in this country.

Over December and January, racecourses across New Zealand came alive with the energy of passionate fans, thrilling finishes, and unforgettable moments. From the festive crowds at Omakau and Kumara to the excitement of Boxing Day and New Year’s Day at Ellerslie, the summer circuit has shown us once again why racing holds such a treasured place in Kiwi culture.

It’s been a season of growth and success, with incredible fields, increased turnover, vibrant on-course atmospheres, and the joy of seeing an industry that has risen from its knees and burst into a full-blown gallop. You can read more below about the enhancements we’re making to the on-course experience.

Following an incredible 2025 edition of the TAB Karaka Millions and the spotlight of the racing world on Ellerslie with World Pool in operation, the spotlight has shifted to Karaka, where the NZ Bloodstock National Yearling Sale is in full swing. Karaka is a true showcase of New Zealand’s excellence in breeding. Buyers from across the globe are drawn to these sales, captivated by the quality and potential of our horses and underpinned by the skill and dedication of New Zealand’s breeders.

It’s an event that celebrates the heritage and future of our industry, reinforcing New Zealand’s place on the international racing stage. There truly is no place on earth like the Karaka sales and I’ve enjoyed every second of my time out here this week.

As we celebrate the success of the summer and the ongoing momentum at Karaka, there’s plenty more to look forward to. With marquee events still on the horizon, upcoming race days promise even more opportunities to connect fans and participants with the magic of racing.

At Entain, we’re committed to continuing our support throughout 2025 and beyond – and can’t wait to see as many of you out on course as possible.

Please share or forward this newsletter to anyone in the industry who you think might like to read this. They can sign up to receive the Entain Edition directly by contacting communications@entaingroup.co.nz. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please contact the same address.

Ellerslie was in full focus for the racing world on Saturday night with World Pool in operation for the last three races on the card – the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO & 3YO races, as well as the Group 1 Sistema Railway.

In all, $18.5m was wagered on the win, place, quinella, trifecta, treble and double pools, with TAB customers getting the benefits of deeper pools to bet into thanks to World Pool.

While the rain certainly tested the 10,000 racing fans in attendance, what it didn’t test was the Ellerslie track. It played superbly throughout the evening.

The first six runners across the line in the Group 1 were less than two lengths apart, which speaks the fairness of the track. A massive congratulations to Ellerslie track manager Jason Fulford and his team for presenting an outstanding racing surface.

We know Kiwis racing fans – both the die-hard and the once-a-year followers – love the summer racing circuit, and this holiday period saw some massive crowds at the likes of Omakau, Tauherenikau and Kumara.

As a snapshot of the success and importance of Christmas and New Year racing, turnover across 11 feature thoroughbred meetings during this time – including Boxing Day and New Year’s Day at Ellerslie, the two Group 1 feature meetings at Trentham and the Kumara Gold Nuggets meeting – was up 22% on last year, and increases in active customers across almost all of these meetings too.

One challenge we find at these huge meetings held in locations away from urban areas is where an influx of people to a small location can put pressure on infrastructure like wireless and mobile data networks. A lot of people are happy to bet through terminals on-course, but for those Kiwis who do want to enjoy all the features of the TAB App, it’s important to make that accessible, and to attract casual punters to sign up for the TAB App.

With that in mind, across the festive period, the Racing Services team trialled Starlink-driven Wi-Fi services for customers at venues with limited mobile networks in the South Island. Thousands of customers at the popular Omakau, Roxburgh, Cromwell and Kumara meetings logged into our TAB Free Wi-Fi networks. It’s an encouraging initiative that Entain will look to expand across 2025 and into the new racing season.

An initiative you will be seeing a lot more of in the coming months is Racing Her Way. The first Racing Her Way event was held in Riccarton on TAB Mile Day in November, and there was also a presence at this week’s NZ Bloodstock Karaka 2025 sales.

Racing Her Way is designed to enhance and celebrate the experience of women in the thrilling world of horse racing. Whether you’re a lifelong racing fan, curious about the sport, or simply looking to enjoy the excitement of race day, this program invites you to immerse yourself in the style, passion, and community that make racing truly special.

Find out more at entaingroup.co.nz/racing-her-way.

TAB Racing Club continues to be popular with TAB racing customers, with more than 10,000 joining up to enjoy the thrills of racing ownership without paying a cent. The Club has already hosted many balloted events at race meetings and had its first winner from this year’s 2-year-old crop when In Haste was a dominant winner at Matamata last Wednesday.

The team also went shopping at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales this week, securing seven lots from the Book 1 catalogue, including a Per Incanto-Saint Katarina colt (pictured below) for $200,000 from the the Little Avondale Stud draft.

Join up and follow TRC at tab.co.nz/racing-club.

Some of the most viral sporting events in recent years have been held this summer, and Entain’s brands have been a key part of them both. Both TAB and betcha were visible at the TAB Chasing The Fox golf event, held in December. Some of our crew donned the caddie overalls and got inside the ropes for the ultimate view.

We also launched the betcha Bash Zone at the T20 Black Clash 2025 in Christchurch earlier this month, with several members of Team Rugby and Team Cricket going close to landing a six in the Bash Zone.

These two events are going from strength to strength, and we’re proud to be associated with them both.

• • The Racing Industry Amendment Bill was introduced by the New Zealand Government in December to establish a ‘legislative net’ for racing and sports betting. Entain welcomes the introduction of this legislation that will reduce spending with offshore operators and ensure more money flows back into New Zealand racing and sport. You can follow the progress of the bill at parliament.nz.

• With the field for The NZB Kiwi already looking incredibly strong, Entain New Zealand was thrilled to secure the Group 1 performer Evaporate for the 1500-metre feature at Ellerslie on 8 March. The Kiwi-bred 3-year-old placed in the 2024 Caulfield Guineas and lined up in the Cox Plate later that month, and his trainers – Will, Ben and JD Hayes – are as excited as we are to have Evaporate take his place in the inaugural running of The NZB Kiwi. Read more at entaingroup.co.nz.

My passion for racing began at the Omakau trots in the late 1990s, and expanded at the Captain Cook Hotel in Dunedin during my (very) social time as a university student before weaving it into my work as a journalist and Trackside producer. After working in politics and the public service, I returned to working in the racing industry in late 2021.

I’ve had very small shares in probably 25 or more horses – mainly pacers and trotters – over the last eight years across a number of syndicates, and have been lucky enough to enjoy a bit of success along the way, particularly through joining a syndicate with Woodlands Stud. Need You Now won a Group 1 Harness Jewels in 2021, and a Group 2 the following year, while Kahlua Flybye was very brave behind the brilliant Millwood Nike in several Group races. Currently, Terra Sancta (four wins) is providing some fun for our Own The Moment Syndicate, which is made up of 60 people all over the country.

What excites you about the strategic partnership?

The past 18 months have already shown how much can be achieved with the expertise that Entain brings to the New Zealand racing and sports industry. In 2024 alone, we launched a new betting platform, refreshed Trackside and the TAB brand, and launched betcha. As someone who is passionate about the racing industry and has ownership interests, I appreciate how important it is for all sectors of the industry to see the benefits of the partnership and we now have these key anchors in place for future success.

The race event I’m most looking forward to?

NZ Cup Week is hard to beat, but I fully intend to get to a few more grass harness meetings this year, having been lucky enough to get to Westport, Reefton and Cromwell this past summer.