| Class: | Group II |
| Horse Race: | Championship Stakes |
| Location: | Ellerslie Racecourse Auckland, New Zealand |
| Race Type: | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Distance: | 2100m (10.5 furlongs) |
| Surface: | Turf |
| Track: | right-handed |
| Qualification: | Three-year-olds |
| Weight: | Set-Weights |
| Purse: | $120,000 (2022) |
The Championship Stakes, run at Ellerslie Racecourse, is a Group 3 horse race run for three-year-olds at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand.
When the New Zealand Derby was moved from December to March in the 2005-06 season, the race was set up to be run on the second Saturday in February as the main-lead-up race, two weeks before the Derby. Before this the race had been restricted to fillies only.
In 2011 the race was moved New Year's Day, with the Avondale Guineas (previously run in December at Avondale and the main Derby lead-up before 2005) moving to Ellerslie and taking the February date.
Since 2015 the Championship Stakes has been held in April.
The race has been sponsored by:
It is currently raced on the same date as the Easter Handicap.
The race has been won by a number of New Zealand Derby winners:
The 2005 winner Tusker also won the 2006 Awapuni Gold Cup.
Werther, the 2015 winner, went on to win the 2015 Eagle Farm Cup, Hong Kong Derby, the 2016 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the 2017 Hong Kong Gold Cup, the Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup and Bochk Jockey Club Cup. It was runner up in the South Australian Derby, Queensland Derby, Hong Kong Classic Mile, Hong Kong Classic Cup, the Longines Hong Kong Cup and the 2018 Hong Kong Gold Cup.
The 2021 winner, Hezashocka, paid $75.90 on the Totalisator. The quinella was $157.30, the trifecta $3,153.20 and the First 4 was $57,607.80
| Year | Winner | Sire | Dam | Jockey | Trainer(s) | Time | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2023 (Pukekohe) [1] | Chevel D'Or 55 | Almanzor | Keepa Cheval | Michael McNab | Tony Pike | 2:22.36 (heavy) | Sassyness 55 | Kentucky Rose 55 |
| April 2022 (Pukekohe) | Pinarello 57 | Tavistock (NZ) | Zonza | Leith Innes | Roger James & Robert Wellwood | 2:10.10 (Good) | Titled 57 | Lingjun Xiongfeng 57 |
| April 2021 | Hezashocka 56.5 | Shezakiwi | Masa Hashizume (a) | Shaun & Emma Clotworthy | 2:18.45 (slow) | Joy Alone 54.5 | Milford Sound 56.5 | |
| April 2019 | Lord Arthur 56.5 | Camelot (GB) | Imposingly (Aus) | Jake Baylis | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | 2:07.89 | Intrigue 54.5 | Bobby Dee 56.5 |
| April 2018 | Azaboy 56.5 | Azamour (Ire) | Cataari (NZ) | Samantha Collett | Richard Collett | 2:22.04 (Heavy) | Gundown (Aus) 56.5 | Time Lord 56.5 |
| April 2017 | Tavidream 56.5 [2] | Tavistock (NZ) | Cinnadream (Aus) | Alysha Collett | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs | 2:13.91 (Soft) | Charles Road (Aus) 56.5 | Camino Rocoso 56.5 |
| April 2016 | The Hassler 56.5 [3] | Shocking (Aus) | Zaquabeel (NZ) | Vincent Colgan | Roger James | 2:12.26 (good) | Zambezi Warrior 56.5 | Sonorous 56.5 |
| April 2015 | Werther 56.5 | Tavistock (NZ) | Bagolollies (Aus) | Leith Innes | Andrew Campbell | 2:18.31 (soft) | Exquisite Jewel 54.5 | Viva La Difference (Aus) 54.5 |
| January 2014 | Show The World 56.5 | High Chaparral (Ire) | Bazelle (NZ) | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | 2:12.58 (dead) | Blizzard 56.5 | High Tower 56.5 | |
| January 2013 | Habibi 54.5 | Ekraar (US) | Danny Holiday (NZ) | Vincent Colgan | Donna & Dean Logan | 2:09.01 (good) | Addictive Habit 56.5 | Solar Eclipse 56.5 |
| January 2012 | Silent Achiever 54.5 | O'Reilly (NZ) | Winning Spree (NZ) | Vincent Colgan | 2:18.14 (slow) | Shuka 56.5 | Lady Krovanh (Aus) | |
| January 2011 | Hidden Asset 56 | Fragile Asset (NZ) | Shaune Ritchie | 2:10.39 (good) | Hot Pursuit 54.5 | Yourein (Aus) 56 | ||
| Feb 2010 | Zarzuela 54.5 | Zabeel (NZ) | Star Satire (NZ) | James McDonald | Mark Walker | 2:08.35 (good) | Corporal Jones 56 | King Raedwald 56 |
| Feb 2009 | Down The Road 56 | Danroad (Aus) | Dixies Girl (NZ) | Michael Coleman | Ken Kelso & Thomas Russell | 2:15.52 (soft) | The Meista 56 | Coniston Bluebird 56 |
| Feb 2008 | Red Ruler 56 | Viking Ruler (Aus) | Ransom Bay (USA) | Vincent Colgan | John Sargent | 2:10.61 (good) | Six O'Clock News 56 | Pierre Joseph 56 |
| Feb 2007 | Redoute's Dancer 56 | Redoute's Choice (Aus) | Condescendance (US) | Vincent Colgan | Tim Martin, Rosehill | 2:11.17 (good) | Benedict 56 | Stolen Thunder 56 |
| Feb 2006 | Wahid 56 | Almutawakel (GB) | Rory's Helen (NZ) | Leith Innes | Alan Sharrock | 2:09.21 (good) | Black Panther 56 | Twinkling 54.5 |
| Mar 2005 | Tusker 55 | Volksraad (GB) | Stella Artois (NZ) | 2:10.41 | El Bulli 55 | Zaria 55 | ||
| Feb 2004 | Boulevardofdreams 55 | Daggers Drawn (US) | Faustina (NZ) | Gary Grylls | Vanessa & Wayne Hillis | 2:18.04 (soft) | Partee 55 | Haylee Baylee 55 |
| Mar 2003 | Raspberry Ripple (Aus) 55 | Quest For Fame (GB) | Unbeleevable (NZ) | Craig & Frank Ritchie | 2:14.34 Slow | Etoile Du Nord 55 | Showgirl 55 | |
| Mar 2002 | Sixty Seconds 55 | Centaine (Aus) | Fifteen Reasons (NZ) | Bruce Herd | 2:16.26 (Easy) | Venus Was Her Name 55 | Vapour Trail 55 | |
| Mar 2001 | Elevenses 55 | Star Way (GB) | Celtic Joy (NZ) | Mark Sweeney | Graeme & Debbie Sanders | 2:10.50 | Piper Star 55 | Gordon’s 55 |
| Mar 2000 | Let's Cruise (NZ) 55 | Zabeel (NZ) | Lady Bay (NZ) | Jim Collett | Mark Walker | 2:09.08 | Giovana 55 | Sarwatch 55 |
| March 1999 | Dancing Daze 55 | Dance Floor (USA) | War Cry | 2:11.30 (easy) | Scarlet Runner 55 | Soap Opera 55 | ||
| Feb 1998 | Crimson 55 | Zabeel (NZ) | Bourbon Lassie (NZ) | 2:09.35 | Melora 55 | Limerick 55 | ||
| March 1997 | Ellakapella 55 | Pompeii Court (US) | Santona (NZ) | Jim Collett | 2:15.94 (dead) | Ballroom Lady 55 | Tricia Ann 55 | |