14 Contest Southern Filly Series Final

The $50,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) is the final race in New Zealand Bloodstock's Southern Filly of the Year Series and will see 15 fillies contest the time honoured race at Riccarton on Saturday.

The last leg in the four race Series for three-year-old fillies, the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes will see Series leader Ortem Fire (Gallant Guru x Emerald Fire) race to cement her title as Southern Filly of the Year after winning the last leg of the Series, the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes.

With second placed Cora Lynn and Kasumi, both on 7 points, not contesting Saturday's race, Ortem Fire (10 points) is in strong contention for the Southern Filly Title. If she can run a place and/or hold off the challenge of last start rival Asavant (3 points), who must win the race to match Ortem Fire on points, the current Series leader will have the crown to herself.

Trained by Brian & Shane Anderton, Ortem Fire came from off the pace in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes and held off the fast finishing Asavant to claim her first stakes victory. She will be wearing the number one saddle cloth on Saturday and will once again have the services of jockey Jay Misbah from barrier eight.

Asavant (Zabeel x Pins 'N' Needles) put in a big performance after coming back from the Oaks trip to finish a half-a-head second in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes over the mile last start, earning 3 Series points. She is a course and distance winner and if she wins Saturday's race from barrier nine and Ortem Fire fails to run a place, the John & Karen Parsons trained filly will earn a share in the Southern Filly of the Year crown.

John & Karen Parsons will also saddle Locket (Keeper x Equity Rose) who produced a good finish in the last leg of the Series finishing less than four lengths from the winner after racing four wide and back in the field.

The Stephen Marsh trained Are You Devious (Captain Rio x Gold Amber) and Sucre (Ishiguru x Carrie) from Sean Bellew's yard finished third and fourth in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes, with Are You Devious picking up one point, her first in the Series. The fillies will be having their first trip over 2000 metres on Saturday and will jump from barriers ten and three respectively.

Winning form is good form and Imperial Miss (Shinko King x Nanset) comes into the Warstep Stakes off two consecutive victories at Te Rapa and in the Manawatu, both by a margin of at least two lengths. The Jason Bridgman trained filly has drawn well in barrier six and will also make her 2000 metre debut.

The Steven Ramsay & Julia Ritchie trained Deliciano (Darci Brahma x Santagostino) and Barbara Jennie (Bahhare x Pesky) for trainer Paul Harris both come into the race in good form running second in their previous starts. The fillies come back in distance for the race and have shown they have ability on the turf having both won a race within their last three starts. They have drawn in gates three and 12 respectively.

Champion sire Zabeel will have two fillies in the race with Asavant and Star Of Tralee (ex Rose Of Tralee) who will jump from barrier 11 for trainer Stephen McKee. Carrying the Cambridge Stud colours, the filly has had her share of bad luck during her short career but ran a good fourth to the highly promising Malandrino in the Group 3 Manawatu Classic at her last start.

McKee will also saddle Sapling (Pins x Katie O'Neill) who had a tough run in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes at her last appearance after drawing wide. The filly looked good when breaking her maiden two starts ago over a mile at Te Rapa but has another wide draw to contend with in barrier 14.

Well performed over the distance and a winner at Riccarton, Consummate (Fast 'N' Famous x Ngaio) has had three starts over 2000 metres for one win and two placings and comes into the race after running a close fifth to Guns At Five in the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2500m). She will jump from the ace barrier for trainer Kevin Hughes.

Darci Coup (Darci Brahma x Nimble Feet) made up good ground against the rail after being blocked at a vital stage in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight Stakes, finishing just four lengths from Ortem Fire. Trained by Michael Pitman, she has a tougher draw to contend with on Saturday in gate 13. Yazoom (Yamanin Vital x Nzoom) also took the rails run in the last leg of the Series after being caught back in the field. She has placed twice over 2000 metres and will jump from barrier seven for trainer Bruce Jenkins.

Shooting up in distance from a 1000 metre sprint at her last start, Negotiate (King's Chapel x Johan) has found the line well in each of her six starts for trainer Kevin Myers but has drawn the outside barrier in 15. The Vanessa & Wayne Hillis trained Seagold (Keeper x Myntic) has fared better in the draw, jumping from gate two, and has placed over 2100 metres at Te Rapa.

The winner of the $50,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) will receive 7 points in New Zealand Bloodstock's Southern Filly of the Year Series, with second place earning 3 points and third one point. To view the current points table for the Series, click here.

The Warstep Stakes will be held at Riccarton on Saturday at 2.46pm (NZ time). To view the field, click here.

Entry fee payments for New Zealand Bloodstock's $1 million Karaka Million (Res.L) - New Zealand's richest race - are due on April 30 at 5pm. For more information about Karaka Million payments, please contact NZB on +64 9 298 0055 or email Eion.Fraser@nzb.co.nz.