Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day - Saturday 12 March

Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day - Saturday 12 March, Ellerslie Racecourse

What: Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day

Arguably the most prestigious day of thoroughbred horse racing in the New Zealand calendar and the pinnacle of Auckland Cup Week – a spectacular day of racing and fashion, with exquisite hospitality and entertainment.

Including the running of 3 x Group 1 races – $500,000 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup, $200,000 Sistema Diamond Stakes, $200,000 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes.

When: Saturday 12 March 2016, 10.30am – 9pm (last race at 6.02pm)
Where: Ellerslie Racecourse, 80 Ascot Ave, Remuera

PHOTO/FOOTAGE OPPORTUNITIES

Social Scene: Six current Blues players chaffeur guests in gold carts around the course, courtesy of Barfoot & Thompson.
Celebrity chef (MasterChef) George Calombaris joins NZ chef Ben Bayly and Crusader Kieran Read in the Swisse Glasshouse.
Masu chef Nic Watt, a jeroboam (15litre) bottle of Mumm Cordon Rouge, sabrage demonstations, confetti cannons, DJ duo Sweet Mix Kids and VIPs in the Mumm Racing Village.

Fashion: National Fashion in the Field final - Viva Prix de Fashion. $30,000 prize package up for grabs and the chance to represent NZ during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Behind the scenes/backstage fashion perspective before the competition, contestants on catwalk (heats start at 2.25pm, winner announced at 3.15pm)

Celebrity judges: Rebecca Stoneman, Melbourne-based model and Victoria Racing Club ambassador, Amber Pebbles and Janetta McKay, beauty writer

Running of the Barfoot and Thompson Auckland Cup and winner presentations, from 5.22pm – 5.30pm

Jockey colour: pre-race preparation, jockeys weighing in before and after race

Horse Parade Ring: horse preparation and parade, owners oversee final walkthrough

BARFOOT AND THOMPSON AUCKLAND CUP DAY DERBY – FACTS AND FIGURES
Jockeys:
The average riding weight of the Jockeys will be 54kg.

Crowds:
Expected crowd numbers of over 10,000 for Cup Week

Money:
$1,300,000 of Stakes on offer

Distance:

· The length of Ellerslie’s track is 1,876m
· The length of Ellerslie’s home straight 382m
· 16.9kms will be run by the horses on Barefoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day
· Rock Diva won the 2015 Auckland Cup.

Horses:

· Ellerslie Clerks of the Courses only ever ride grey horses. There will be three on course on the day
· Over 400 horse shoes will be used
· A maximum of 18 horses will race in the Barfoot and Thompson Auckland Cup

Hospitality:
Over 250 temporary food and beverage staff will be working on the day and the Events Centre will use:

· 150kg prime angus beef rib
· 120kg indian slipper lobster
· 150 dozen half shell rock oysters
· 150kg Ellerslie brown sugar and mustard glazed ham
· A mixture of over 1500 freshly made ciabatta and wholemeal gourmet rolls
· Over 1500 bottles of Mumm Champagne have been ordered for Cup Week
· A 15 litre bottle of Mumm Champagne has been flown in from France
· Over 200 natural succulents and plants make up the botanical Swisse glasshouse

Ticket sales:
· The hottest ticket in town is the new Mumm Racing Village with live performances from DJ duo Sweet Mix Kids, tickets are selling out fast.

ENDS

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