1st Southern Filly of the Year Race at Riccarton

The New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series starts on Saturday with the running of the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes at Riccarton. A field of 11 fillies has been assembled for the race over 1200m, worth $30,000.

In addition to the prize money and points in the Series on offer, seven of the fillies are running with the chance to secure their Thoroughbred Bonus Scheme Level A bonus.

Mystify (Montjeu x Seamist), will be looking to follow in her dam's hoofprints in her attempt to make her mark on the Series. Her dam, Seamist (Beaufort Sea x Quidella), with 12 career wins including the Group 1 Auckland Stakes, won the 1990 Wrightson Southern Filly of the Year Series. She will be ridden by Kylie Williams in what will be her second start for owner/trainer Nick Wigley.

The only North Island filly to make the journey south is the Mark Campin and Jim Campin trained, owned and bred, Pretoria (Carnegie x Desert Wine). Albeit on her debut run, she has shown she has the ability to warrant the trip by producing a second at the recent Te Teko trails.

The filly in the race with experience on her side is Allinalign (Align x All In Jest). Trained by Paul Harris, she has had eleven starts for two wins as a two year old. In the Canterbury Belle Stakes she will meet Mystical (My Halo x Miami) for the second time after being defeated by her in May. Mystical is trained at Riccarton by Shane Kennedy and Ricky Carston. Mystical's full brother fetched $24,000 at the 2005 South Island Sale of 2YOs for Berkley Stud.

Michael Walker will ride the Mark Walker trained Shikoba (Chief Bearhart x Summary) who won on debut earlier in the month. With her impressive maiden win at Riccarton and with the likes of Zedative (The Judge x Summoned) and Group 1 performer in South Africa, Greys Inn (Zabeel x Great Verdict), featured in her pedigree through her third dam, she will be one to keep an eye on in the coming months.

Also on the back of last start wins are Gilbert Butterick's $400 purchase from Fayette Park Stud's draft at the 2003 National Weanling Sale, Nobel (Prized x Dot's Honor), Smitten Kitten (Volksraad x Venderbilt) and Wazawatsyn (Tuscany Flyer x Robinson Girl). Smitten Kitten, trained by Jan Hay at Ashburton, was purchased at the 2004 Karaka Select Yearling Sale for $40,000 from the Haunui Farm draft.

Points on offer in the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series are seven for first, three for second and one for third placing. For the next instalment in the Series it is a long wait until the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes in Otago on the 26th March.

For series race dates and points updates, visit New Zealand Bloodstock's website www.nzb.co.nz.