New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has confirmed the Racing Calendar for the 2026/2027 season, with 310 thoroughbred race meetings scheduled across the country.
The Calendar has been set by the TAB NZ Dates Committee under the Racing Industry Act 2020, following consultation with the racing codes and consultation by each code with its Clubs and recognised industry organisations.
NZTR General Manager Racing, Mitch Lamb, said the release of the calendar marked an important milestone as the industry prepares for the new season.
“The racing calendar is the backbone of our season and there has been a huge amount of work across the industry to get us to this point,” Lamb said.
“The calendar process is a great example of the constructive working relationship between the racing codes, Entain and TAB NZ, as well as the valuable input received from our Clubs and industry organisations,” Lamb said.
“Next season presents some obvious challenges for us when it comes to calendar and dates planning, and no doubt the evolving nature of the racing landscape will demand that we continue to be adaptable when we approach this each and every season.”
“Our clubs were active in their submissions post the release of the draft calendar, and whilst not all submissions can be incorporated, it was great to see collaborative efforts on multiple fronts between individual clubs – we thank all of them for their efforts.”
The 2026/2027 season includes two more race meetings than were initially scheduled for the current season, making 310 in total across the country.
The Final Calendar also reflects that Awapuni will not be available for racing during the 2026/2027 season, as well as the return to racing at Hastings.
“Seeing racing return to Hastings is a real positive for the industry and local racing community,” Lamb said.
