Addington Raceway and Harness Racing New Zealand are pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2025 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup and the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11.
Nominations are to be made with the National Bureau at HRNZ for both races, and will remain open until 3pm(NZT) Thursday, August 28 2025. The initial rankings for both features available on Thursday, September 4.
Excitement will then build over the next two months as harness racing fans on both sides of the Tasman count down to what is New Zealand racing’s biggest day.
Defending champion Swayzee will be guaranteed a place in the Cup, if nominated, as will 2024 Auckland Cup winner Republican Party and Leap To Fame as the 2025 Inter-Dominion Champion. If Swayzee wins again it will be a record-equalling third Cup triumph in a row.
There will be four automatic qualifying races leading into the 2025 New Zealand Cup. The winners of the Maurice Holmes Vase (August 22), the New Brighton Cup (September 5), the Canterbury Classic (October 17), all at Addington, and for the first time the Holmes DG at Alexandra Park (October 3) will all make the Cup field, if nominated.
In the Dominion Bet N Win will be the top-ranked trotter in the initial rankings (if nominated) after his win the 2025 Rowe Cup followed by Inter-Dominion Champion Arcee Phoenix. Reigning champion Just Believe would have also guaranteed a spot but he has been retired.
There will be three automatic qualifying races for the Dominion. They are the Ordeal Trotting Cup (September 5), the Worthy Queen (October 10) and the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup (October 17), all at Addington Raceway. The winners of these races will qualify for the Dominion, as long as they are nominated.
Rankings will be updated and published on the HRNZ website when they become available.