The 1000 Guineas is a Group One set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of 1600 metres (1 mile) at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand.
For thoroughbred horses the week also features: Christchurch Cup week includes premier standardbred meetings at Addington raceway including: There is also greyhound racing on the Thursday, including the following Group 1 races: The week also features the Canterbury A&P Show Until 1973, both the New Zealand Oaks and the New Zealand Derby were run at Riccarton.
These races are based on those of the same name in the United Kingdom, run at Newmarket in the first weekend in May.
Both races have quickly established themselves on the New Zealand calendar, and the 1000 Guineas routinely attracts all of the country's leading fillies and, as a crucial race in the Filly Of The Year series, is regularly taken out by the eventual winner of that title.
Among the best recent winners are Katie Lee, Seachange, King's Rose, the brilliant but ill-fated Taatletail and Tycoon Lil.