The racing of Thoroughbred horses (or gallopers, as they are also known) is a popular gaming and spectator sport and industry in New Zealand.

Thoroughbred horse racing commenced soon after European settlement. The first totalisator machine in the world was installed at Ellerslie Racecourse in 1913, see Sir George Julius).

Thoroughbred racing with the associated aspects such as horse breeding, training and care, race betting, race-day management and entertainment has gradually developed into an industry worth billions of dollars. The governing body is the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Incorporated.

Thoroughbred racing is held throughout New Zealand, including courses in some of the smaller centres.

For further prominent people in New Zealand thoroughbred racing, see the list of honorees of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.

The following contains details of some of the top New Zealand horses. As well as those winning major races within New Zealand, locally owned and/or trained horses frequently go to Australia for racing campaigns or permanently due to the higher stake money in that country.

Between 1882 and 2019^[update] New Zealand-bred horses won Australia's Melbourne Cup 43 times.^[73] During the 2008-09 racing season 19 New Zealand-bred Thoroughbreds won 22 Group One races around the world.^[74]

Horses may also go to Asia (mainly Hong Kong or Singapore) or on occasions to Europe or the United States.

The following are the recent winners of major cups.

• Jezabeel, who was also 2nd in the 1997 Manawatu Cup, won the 1998 Melbourne Cup

The following table contains the recent winners of major races for sprinters (generally distances of 1500m or less).

The winners of the Tarzino Trophy over 1400m are shown in the table for New Zealand's Hastings Triple Crown.

Enzo's Lad which won the Telegraph Handicap in 2018 and 2019 was 2nd in 2020. El Chico was aged 11 when winning its second Stewards Stakes in 2011, a race record.

The following are the recent winners of other notable races.

The following are the recent winners of major races for 3-year-old horses.

• The Auckland Guineas was reduced from 2100 metres to 1600 metres in 2010. The race was not run in 2014 as the race moved from Boxing Day to New Year's Day.^[103]
• The Avondale Guineas was not run in 2010 due to the race being moved from Avondale where it was run in December over 1600 metres to Ellerslie where it is run in February over 2100 metres.
• The Wellington Guineas was moved from an October meeting in 2013 to a March meeting in 2015 and from 1500m to 1400m.^[104]

The New Zealand Triple Crown, also called the Hawke's Bay Triple Crown or Hastings Triple Crown as all three races are run there, consists of:

• The 1400m Challenge Stakes, which was previously known as the Makfi Challenge Stakes or Mudgway Stakes and is currently called the Tarzino Trophy,
• The 1600m Horlicks Plate, which was previously known as the Stony Bridge Stakes and is currently called the Windsor Park Plate, and
• The 2040m Livamol Spring Classic, which was previously known as the Kelt Capital Stakes.

Many of New Zealand's best Thoroughbred horses have raced in the various Triple Crown events. A number of horses managed to win two of the three races and some were beaten into second in the third leg. Seachange won two of the three legs of the Triple Crown in both 2006 and 2007. On 5 October 2019 Melody Belle was the first horse to win all three of the Hastings Triple Crown races.

In April 2018 the New Zealand Government Minister for Racing, Rt Hon Winston Peters appointed an Australian, John Messara, to review the New Zealand racing industry's governance structures, and provide recommendations on future directions for the industry.

On 30 August 2018, the Minister released the report ("the Messara Report).^[111]

There was considerable media commentary regards the proposed closure of racetracks in smaller centres.^[112] During October 2018 feedback on the Messara Review was sought. In November 2018 a summary report of the submissions was compiled.^[113]

On 13 December 2018 the Minister for Racing announced a five-member Ministerial Advisory Committee to inform next steps on the Messara Review. Mr Peters appointed Dean McKenzie as chair, supported by Committee members Bill Birnie, Liz Dawson, Kristy McDonald and Sir Peter Vela.^[114]

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing's (NZTR) Venue Plan was released in January 2019. The Report recommended:

• reducing the number of thoroughbred race tracks nationally from 48 to 27 by 2030.
• racing licences not be allocated to Stratford, Blenheim, Wairoa, Reefton, Hokitika, Waimate, Winton, Dargaville, Thames and Wyndham in the 2019/20 racing season.
• the Stratford Racing Club track close and its race meeting be held at the Pukekura Raceway in New Plymouth.^[115]

Feedback on the document was sought, with nine regional meetings held and 75 written submissions received. NZTR chief executive Bernard Saundry said the NZTR board considered the feedback and decided the Wairoa, Blenheim and Reefton tracks would receive a reprieve, for the 2019–20 season at least.^[116]

On 17 April 2019, the Minister for Racing announced that the New Zealand Government's Cabinet had agreed to the overall intent of the Messara Report and plans to implement reforms through two Bills to amend the Racing Act 2003. The first Bill, planned to be enacted by 1 July 2019, was to begin the process of structural reform and provide financial relief to the industry.^[117]

On 20 June 2019 the Racing Reform Bill passed its third reading and final reading in Parliament.^[118]

On 5 December 2019 the Minister for Racing introduced the Racing Industry Bill as the Government's final legislative response to the recommendations of the Messara Report.^[119] It was reported in the media that the Bill extinguished the freehold property rights of local racing club owners who would be forced to sell their courses, money from any sales would not be used in that community but instead transferred to develop clubs in bigger centres elsewhere.^[120]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Horse racing in New Zealand.

• New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame
• New Zealand Horse of the Year
• Auckland Cup Week
• Wellington Racing Club
• Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting
• List of Melbourne Cup winners
• Thoroughbred racing in Australia
• Harness racing in New Zealand