Wellington Racing Club hold their meetings at the Trentham Racecourse, located in the western region of the city of Upper Hutt some 34 kilometres from the capital Wellington. The club was founded in 1854, but held its first meetings at Hutt Park and later on at Burnham Water before the present day course opened in 1906. The left handed oval turf course has a perimeter of 10 furlongs with a 450 metre home straight. Inside the Flat track is a figure of eight steeplechase course. The Wellington Cup was introduced in 1874 as a 12 furlong race when won by Castaway ridden by J.Cotton and owned by R.Campbell. Cynisca gained a trio of wins from 1890 to 1892, whilst Great Sensation scored a sensational three victories from 1961 to 1963. Castletown also managed to win the race 3 times, firstly in 1991, then 1992 and then waited a year until the final victory in 1994. KIWI was a chestnut racehorse, foaled in 1977 in New Zealand by Blarneykiss and Malrayvis, and holds the distinction of being the only horse to have won the Wellington Cup (New Zealands most important race), and the Melbourne Cup (Australia's most important race). The horse began its racing career at Wanganui. He went on to land the Wellington Cup, by that stage extended to a 3200 metre race, in 1983 at Trentham. He then went on to land the Melbourne Cup over the same distance, 'flying home' in the straight.
Also at its January meeting, as well as the Wellington Cup it hosts New Zealands most valuable sprint race, the Group 1 Telegraph Handicap, as well as the Group 1 Thorndon Mile. While in March the New Zealand Oaks is staged. A list of Wellington Cup winners is freely available on the internet, but winners of the New Zealand Oaks, which was launched in 1969 as the Wellington Oaks, are shown below.
New Zealand Oaks winners since its inception in 1969
1969 The Wellington Oaks over 10 furlongs was won by Mayo Gold owned by Mr and Mrs F A Conway and ridden by W D Skelton
1970 The Wellington Oaks over 10 furlongs was won by Marnie owned by Mr and Mrs H McCarvill and ridden by J F Harris
1971 The Wellington Oaks over 10 furlongs was won by Susan Jane owned by Mr H Belsham and Mr H Hayward and ridden by E J Didham
1972 The Wellington Oaks over 10 furlongs was won by Port Royal owned by Mr and Mrs J D Lockett and ridden by J P Riordan
1973 The Wellington Oaks over 12 furlongs was won by Reach Far owned by Mrs D Macpherson and ridden by D A Peake
1974 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Sweet Offer owned by Mr and Mrs I D Parsons and ridden by G A Phillips
1975 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Princess Patrice owned by Mr D A Hagar and Mr P S Wilson and ridden by G A Phillips
1976 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Eastern Time owned by Mr J L Chiongbian and ridden by D A Peake
1977 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by La Mer owned by Mr L A Alexander and ridden by D H Harris
1978 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Athenaia owned by Mrs D H Munro, Sir Tristan Antico and Mr T J Smith and ridden by R D Vance
1979 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Tang owned by Mr and Mrs D B Callaghan and Mr R M Miller and ridden by D H Harris
1980 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Supreme Glory owned by Mr and Mrs M G Thwaites and Mr C E Proctor and ridden by J W Walker
1981 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Glamour Bay owned by Mr J H Lindsay, Mr J McAnnalley and Mrs K Joe and ridden by B S Compton
1982 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Maurita owned by Mr P R Kearns, Mr A OMalley and Mr E Yee and ridden by G J Childs
1983 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Aulyn owned by Mr B M Mollet and ridden by G J Childs
1984 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Zepherin owned by Balcarres Stud Ltd and ridden by G J Childs
1985 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Solveig owned by Mr and Mrs R E Moore and ridden by G L Cooksley
1986 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Royal Heights owned by Mr and Mrs R F Douglas and ridden by W Robinson
1987 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Starline owned by Mrs M B Macdougall and Mrs L S Otway and ridden by G J Childs
1988 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Candide owned by Trans Media Stud, Mr M Joseph and Miss S A Joseph and ridden by R N Elliot
1989 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Regal Empress owned by Mr and Mrs R N Fraser, Mrs J Lang and Mr N A Leitch and ridden by C W Treymane
1990 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Domino owned by Mr J W Campin and ridden by C W Johnson
1991 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Lets Sgor owned by Mr M A Fisher, Mr P M Paterson, Mr E G Simpson and Mr T Whiteman and ridden by L V Cassidy
1992 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Staring owned by Mr M J Gyde and Grovedale Trust, trained by M Baker and ridden by N G Harris
1993 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Miltak owned by Miltak Syndicate, trained by D J OSullivan and ridden by D M Walsh
1994 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Snap owned by Lord Tavistock and Mrs L M OSullivan, trained by D J OSullivan and ridden by L OSullivan
1995 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Tartin Tights owned by Mr G L Robertson, trained by E A Winsloe and ridden by C W Johnson
1996 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Alacrity owned by Mrs A and D Paykel and Mrs E Wells, trained by M Moroney and ridden by B Hibberd
1997 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Sawatdee owned by Mr I B Cassels, Mr C F Dunbar, Mr A E Nicol and Mr R O Nicol, trained by A R Howatson and ridden by C W Johnson
1998 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Tycoon Lil owned by Mr P J Walker, trained by C Jillings and ridden by C W Johnson
1999 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Savannah Success owned by Mr J M Haseler and Mr G A Rogerson, trained by G A Rogerson and ridden by L OSullivan
2000 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Shes Country owned by Mr T J Bodle, trained by B J Wallace and ridden by O Bosson
2001 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Tapildo owned by Mr L K Laxon, Mr I M Taplin and Mr S T Taplin, trained by Ms S Laxon and ridden by M Du Plessis
2002 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Vapour Trail owned by Mr B M Sherwin, trained by Mr and Mrs D Logan and ridden by S Seamer
2003 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Bramble Rose owned by Rivermonte Racing Syndicate No 1, trained by M Todd and ridden by O Bosson
2004 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Wharite Princess owned by Mr R J Wong, Mr K Williams, Mr T Robinson, Mr K Tod, Mr M Curd and Mr N Cantwell, trained by Miss L M Latta and ridden by B S Herd
2005 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Justa Tad owned by Mr R P Liefting, trained by R P Leifting and ridden by V A Colgan
2006 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Legs owned by Waikato Stud 2001 Ltd, trained by K Gray and ridden by D J Walker
2007 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Princess Coup owned by Mr R A Coupland and Bromley Bloodstock Ltd, Trained by M Walker and ridden by O Bosson
2008 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Boundless owned by Mrs C N Taylor, Mr P A Dallimore and Mr T McKee, trained by S J McKee and ridden by H S Tinsley
2009 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Jungle Rocket owned by Mr and Mrs C Betts and Mr and Mrs C Pleasance, trained by J McVean and ridden by J B McDonald
2010 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Keep The Peace owned by Mr P Bellingham, Mr L Dittman and Mr L R Dittman, trained by S F Richie and ridden by O Bosson
2011 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Midnight Oil owned by the Nineteenth Syndicate, trained by P Duncan and ridden by R J Myers
2012 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Artistic owned by the Oaks Stud, trained by S F Richie and ridden by M Coleman
2013 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by More Than Sacred owned by Raffles Dancers (NZ) Pty Ltd, trained by A S Pike and M Donoghue and ridden by L G Innes
2014 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Miss Mossman owned by R B C Racing, trained by J Sargent and H Allen and ridden by J Parkes
2015 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Savaria owned by Mr and Mrs D P Fleming, trained by R J Bergerson and ridden by H S Tinsley
2016 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Fanatic owned by Mr S P Kiernan, trained by G Sanders and D Sweeney and ridden by M D Hills
2017 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Bonneval owned by Mr T W Jarvis, Mr A R Lawrence and Mr J Rattray, trained by M P Baker and A C Forsman and ridden by M Cameron
2018 The New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres was won by Savvy Coup owned by the Burford and Coupland families, trained by M R and M M Pitman and ridden by C W Johnson
