Southern Cup races in the lower South Island are now even more enticing for connections, with a significant $50,000 bonus on offer across the five iconic races. 

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), Entain New Zealand, and Riverton Racing Club have joined forces to announce the $50,000 Southern Cups bonus.

The series will cover five Cup races, commencing with the Gore Cup (2 February 2025), followed by the Invercargill Cup (15 February), Dunedin Gold Cup (1 March), and Wyndham Cup (9 March), before rounding out the series with the Riverton Cup (19 April).

NZTR CEO Bruce Sharrock congratulated the clubs involved and particularly Gallop South’s Jo Gordon on bringing the concept to reality.

“This bonus identifies these popular Southern race days which already receive excellent regional participation. We see this series as encouraging even greater participation and investment in this passionate region.”

Cameron Rodger, Managing Director – New Zealand of Entain, the operators of TAB, betcha and Trackside, said they were delighted to be onboard.

“This series has a great feel to it. We see considerable value in driving participation and engagement in these Southern Cup races, so we were happy to help establish this bonus series. We look forward to seeing the momentum build and the Series growing in coming years.”

The prize will be a $50,000 winner-take-all bonus, awarded to the connections of the horse with the highest points accumulated from the five Cup races.

Learn more about eligibility and points allocation here