Thoroughbred racing enthusiasts will welcome the launch of Elite – A Contemporary History of Group One Racing in New Zealand.

Elite showcases New Zealand’s premier racing from the introduction of the Group and Listed classifications in 1978 to the present day, with a focus on more recent history, listing winners and compiling key statistics relating to each of New Zealand’s 20 Group One races. 

The 360-page publication has been compiled by respected broadcaster, journalist and author Aidan Rodley. 

As well as an overview of each race, Elite has an unabridged Group One statistics section, ensuring this is a must-have book for New Zealand racing fans and aficionados alike.

This hardcover, glossy-paged coffee table-style volume is produced to the highest possible quality and retails at $59.90. 

This is Rodley’s fourth book published by Gold Plated Publishing Ltd after Where Champions Are Born (2014), Champions Of Waikato Business (2016) and the 2021 New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual, while he also penned a 10-year-old update to Sir Patrick Hogan’s biography, Give A Man A Horse (2016).

In kind, Sir Patrick offers his view on this venture in his foreword to the book.

Featuring dynamic photography sourced chiefly through Racing Images and Trish Dunell, Elite has utilised the design flair of Ken Emery to bring the pages to life. While jam-packed with statistics and summaries from New Zealand’s best races, Elite is visually-arresting, images of champions coming alive to spark the reader’s senses.

Elite is an obligatory reference point and a fresh, authoritative standard on the subject.

Copies of the book can be purchased through the publication’s dedicated website: elitebook.co.nz