Harness Racing New Zealand has just confirmed the dates and locations for 2YO races for the first half of next year.
The Young Guns Heats will open at Alexandra Park on January 23, as will the first race for the 2YO Pacers in Addington.
The Young Guns series will culminate in the two grand finals, the Cardigan Bay Stakes (colts and geldings) and the Delightful Lady Classic (colts), on March 20.
The Delightful Lady Classic goes from a $70,000 Group 2 to a $100,000 Group 1, while the Trotters’ equivalent, the Young Guns Easton Light Classic, was a $50,000 Group 3. It is now a $100,000 Group 1. It will be held on May 8th.
All heats and finals for the three Young Gun series will take place at Alexandra Park.
In total there will be five $100,000 Group 1s between January and May next year. In addition to the Cardigan Bay Stakes, the Delightful Lady Classic and the Young Guns Easton Light Classic, there is the Diamond Creek Classic in Invercargill (April 26) and the Avon City Ford Welcome Stakes in Addington on May 22.
Other features of the program include the $50,000 Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes at Wyndham on March 29 and the $60,000 Group 2 Sapling Stakes at Ashburton on May 31.
View the full schedule of the 2YO races (January – May 2026). click here
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