North Island Challenge Stakes was a major thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 horse race in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. It was run at Trentham Racecourse

Trentham Racecourse

Trentham Racecourse is the main thoroughbred horse racecourse for the Wellington city area in New Zealand.-Main Races:* G2 Wellington Cup; 2400m .* G1 New Zealand Oaks; 2400m* G1 Telegraph Handicap; 1200m.* G1 Thorndon Mile; 1600m...

, Wellington

Wellington

Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...

, New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 over a sprint distance of 7 furlongs.

The race is notable as an historical annual horserace, as it was won by the who's-who of New Zealand recehorses of the time, including Gloaming

Gloaming (horse)

Gloaming was an outstanding Thoroughbred racehorse, owned, trained, and based in New Zealand. He set many records which includes the Australasian record of 19 successive wins, many in Principal Races. Gloaming was unusual that he was a champion who won many major races in both Australia and New...

 and Desert Gold

Desert Gold

Desert Gold was a famous and successful New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who raced at the time of World War I. She raced in Australia and New Zealand, winning 36 races, including a still-standing record of 19 in succession ....

, considered along with Phar Lap

Phar Lap

Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...

 as the country's three greats. New Zealand hall of famers Gloaming

Gloaming (horse)

Gloaming was an outstanding Thoroughbred racehorse, owned, trained, and based in New Zealand. He set many records which includes the Australasian record of 19 successive wins, many in Principal Races. Gloaming was unusual that he was a champion who won many major races in both Australia and New...

 and Kindergarten

Kindergarten (horse)

Kindergarten was a New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse that raced during the early 1940s. He won many of the premier events in New Zealand including the Wellington Cup and Auckland Cup for more than £16,000 in stake money, which was a large amount during the War.-Breeding:He was a bay colt by...

 each won the race three times.

Selected winners

• 1914 Desert Gold
  Desert Gold
  Desert Gold was a famous and successful New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who raced at the time of World War I. She raced in Australia and New Zealand, winning 36 races, including a still-standing record of 19 in succession ....
  
  
• 1919 Warplane
• 1922 Gloaming
  Gloaming (horse)
  Gloaming was an outstanding Thoroughbred racehorse, owned, trained, and based in New Zealand. He set many records which includes the Australasian record of 19 successive wins, many in Principal Races. Gloaming was unusual that he was a champion who won many major races in both Australia and New...
  
  
• 1924 Gloaming
  Gloaming (horse)
  Gloaming was an outstanding Thoroughbred racehorse, owned, trained, and based in New Zealand. He set many records which includes the Australasian record of 19 successive wins, many in Principal Races. Gloaming was unusual that he was a champion who won many major races in both Australia and New...
  
  
• 1925 Gloaming
  Gloaming (horse)
  Gloaming was an outstanding Thoroughbred racehorse, owned, trained, and based in New Zealand. He set many records which includes the Australasian record of 19 successive wins, many in Principal Races. Gloaming was unusual that he was a champion who won many major races in both Australia and New...
  
  
• 1940 Kindergarten
  Kindergarten (horse)
  Kindergarten was a New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse that raced during the early 1940s. He won many of the premier events in New Zealand including the Wellington Cup and Auckland Cup for more than £16,000 in stake money, which was a large amount during the War.-Breeding:He was a bay colt by...
  
  
• 1941 Kindergarten
  Kindergarten (horse)
  Kindergarten was a New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse that raced during the early 1940s. He won many of the premier events in New Zealand including the Wellington Cup and Auckland Cup for more than £16,000 in stake money, which was a large amount during the War.-Breeding:He was a bay colt by...
  
  
• 1942 Kindergarten
  Kindergarten (horse)
  Kindergarten was a New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse that raced during the early 1940s. He won many of the premier events in New Zealand including the Wellington Cup and Auckland Cup for more than £16,000 in stake money, which was a large amount during the War.-Breeding:He was a bay colt by...
  
  
• 1951 Mainbrace
  Mainbrace
  Mainbrace was a champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who won 23 of his 25 race starts and was placed second in the other two. When he broke down he had won 17 races in succession, which was only two behind Gloaming and Desert Gold's Australasian record. He, also, on eight different occasions...
  
  
• 1955 Coleridge

See also

• List of notable Thoroughbred racehorses
• New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame
  New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame
  The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame is an organization created to recognise and honour those whose achievements have enriched the New Zealand Horse racing industry...
  
  
• Repeat winners of horse races
  Repeat winners of horse races
  -Eight wins:-Seven wins:-Six wins:* The Race Around Yorkshire Handicap was renamed the "Gods Solution Handicap" in 1990.-Five wins:Cheekio Ora won the Herefordshire Light Horse Breeding Society's Hunter Chase five times in the 1980s....