The Zabeel Classic is a Group One

Group One

Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

 Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

 run at weight-for-age over a distance of 2000 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse

Ellerslie Racecourse

Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Ellerslie, Auckland, New Zealand for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit of approximately 1,900 m.-History:The first race meeting was held at Ellerslie on 25 May 1874...

 in Auckland, 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 is held on Boxing Day, a raceday steeped in tradition that frequently attracts in excess of 20,000 Aucklanders to the famous course.

The Zabeel Classic is named in honour of Zabeel

Zabeel

Zabeel was a New Zealand-bred Australian racehorse who has retired to stud and become a champion sire. He is a bay son of Sir Tristram from the Nureyev mare Lady Giselle...

, son of Sir Tristram

Sir Tristram

For the Knight of the Round Table, see Tristan.For the ship of the same name see RFA Sir Tristram Sir Tristram was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who stood at stud in New Zealand, where he sired an extraordinary 45 Group One winners, including three Melbourne Cup winners...

 and four-time New Zealand champion sire.

Recent Winners of the Zabeel Classic

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Time
2010	Booming	Vinnie Colgan	Jeff Lynds	2:04.02
2009	Vosne Romanee Vosne Romanee Vosne Romanee is a three time Group 1 winning New Zealand Horse. While being a competitive Group 1 horse earlier in his career, he rose to prominence as a seven year-old in 2009/10. His biggest win came as one of the longshots in the Kelt Capital Stakes in October 2009, while he followed it up with...	Matthew Cameron	Jeff Lynds	2:00.60
2008	Gallions Reach	Sam Spratt	Richard Yuill	2:05.69
2007	Sir Slick	Bruce Herd	Graeme Nicholson	2:03.81
2006	Mikki Street	Bruce Herd	Lisa Latta	2:02.84
2005+	Bazelle	Jason Waddell	Paul Jenkins	2:03.72
2005	St Reims St Reims St Reims is a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the New Zealand Derby in 2002.A million-dollar yearling, big things were always expected of the son of Zabeel, and although he didn't break his maiden until his fifth start he soon started to live up to expectations...	Leith Innes	Chris McNab	2:03.33
2004	Lashed	Opie Bosson	Graeme Rogerson & Stephen Autridge	2:02.62
2003	Hail Hail (horse) Hail is a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the New Zealand Derby in 2000.In 7 years of racing, Hail established for himself a reputation of reliability, strength and durability...	Greg Childs	Bruce & Stephen Marsh	2:04.52
2002	Giovana	Peter Johnson	Carol Marshall	2:02.88
2001	Zonda Zonda (horse) Zonda is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who won the New Zealand Derby in 1997. His career faced unfortunate setbacks from injury...	Damien Oliver	Roger James	2:05.81
2000	Rebel	Linda Ballantyne	Val Langsford	2:04.11
1999	Del Coronado	Paul Taylor	Colin Jillings & Richard Yuill	2:01.24
1998	Vialli	Shane Dye	Dave & Paul O'Sullivan	2:04.49

+ The race was moved from January to December in 2005.