If Monkey King, who is the $2.30 favourite, wins tonight's (Friday) Auckland Cup he will add another $290,000 to his tally.

The black Sands A Flyin gelding is already New Zealand's leading stakes earner (pacing) by just over $200,000 from Changeover and almost $600,000 more than third placed Elsu.

2009-2010 has been a defining year for the Brendon Hill trained 7-year-old. At the start of the season Monkey King had won 27 of his 59 starts for $1,178,841 in stakes. Not even three-quarters through this season he's won seven of his 11 starts and placed in three others for a whopping $1,452,749. All up he has now banked $2,631,590 since his race debut at Alexandra Park in October 2005.

His biggest hauls this season were in the New Zealand Cup ($538,860), the Miracle Mile ($376,553), and the New Zealand Free-For-All ($138,220).

Lyell Creek raced for seven seasons in all corners of the world. This is Monkey King's fifth season of racing.

However they both have some way to go to catch Australasia's leading stakes earner, Blacks A Fake who has now banked $4,179,693 with his fourth Inter dominion title at Menangle Park last weekend. Black's A Fakes stakes make-up comprises 61 wins, and 15 placings from 82 starts. This is the 9-year-old's seventh season of racing.

In North America the all-time stakes record is held by Gallo Blue Chip, who won 53 of his 133 starts from 1999-2005, for $4,293,108,.

TOP 10 NEW ZEALAND ALL-TIME LEADING STAKES EARNERS:

1 Lyell Creek $2,961,137;  2 Monkey King $2,631,590;  3 Changeover $2,418,765;  4 Elsu $2,083,352;  5 Yulestar $1,985,266;  6 Holmes D G $1,949,617;  7 Master Musician $1,926,810;  8 Chokin $1,801,685;  9 Christopher Vance $1,747,167;  10 Luxury Liner $1,721,984.

Duane RANGER (editor)

2009 NZ CUP: