All Eyes on Riccarton for Crucial Third Leg of NZB Southern Filly Series
10 April 2026
Saturday’s $80,000 Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton is likely to bring us a big step closer to knowing who will take the title of NZB Southern Filly of the Year for the 2025-26 season.
The NZB Insurance Stakes is the third leg of the four-race series, which began with the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) in September and the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) in December. Each race is worth 7 points for the winner, with 4 for second and 2 for third.
At the halfway point of the series, Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) holds the lead with 11 points, while Bobby Mcgee (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) has 7 points, Bona Sforza (Written By) has 4 points, and Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) and Intention (NZ) (Bivouac) have 2 each.
Miss Starlight, Bobby Mcgee and Bona Sforza will all take their place among a fascinating field for Saturday’s potentially decisive third leg. While any further points from the NZB Insurance Stakes will put those three fillies in pole position, it is not too late for others to enter the fray with strong performances on Saturday and in the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m) later this month.
Hello Hayley (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) is already a dual black-type winner this season, having taken out the Listed Southland Guineas (1400m) and Dunedin Guineas (1600m) in February, while Miss Ziggy (NZ) (Brazen Beau) is a proven big-race performer and others like Cashla Bay (NZ) (U S Navy Flag), Perlino (NZ) (Super Seth), Aishiteru (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), Graffiti Artist (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) and The Explosive (NZ) (King Of Comedy) have made a big impression with recent victories in lower grades.
The NZB Insurance Stakes will be run as Race 6 at Riccarton on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 2.45pm.
NZB strongly supports fillies racing in New Zealand through sponsorship of the prestigious Filly of the Year Series and Southern Filly of the Year Series, where the country's three-year-old fillies battle it out for the coveted crown. The Southern Series consists of four stakes races in the South Island, with the NZB Southern Filly of the Year trophy presented to connections at the South Island Awards in September. The winners also receive an insurance policy from NZB Insurance to the value of $50,000 + GST.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cashla Bay | 6 | The Oaks Stud's homebred filly Cashla Bay (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) is a half-sister to five winners from five foals to race including the 11-race winner, trans-Tasman Group Three winner and Group One-placed stayer Five To Midnight (NZ) (Domesday). Cashla Bay has had 12 starts for three wins, three placings and $85,505 in stakes. She has also finshed a close fourth in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) and ran fifth - less than two lengths from subsequent Group One performers Return To Conquer (Snitzel) and Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) - in last season's Group Three Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m) at Ellerslie. With Five To Midnight being a big-race performer up to 3200 metres, the extra distance of this race is expected to suit. | ||
| 2 | Hello Hayley | 8 | The Cambridge Stud-bred Hello Hayley (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) has been a revelation in 2026 for Winton trainer Sophie Price, stringing together back-to-back Listed victories in the Southland Guineas (1400m) on February 14 and the Dunedin Guineas (1600m) on February 28. She was freshened after those two triumphs and found the 1200m of last Saturday's Listed Gore Guineas at Riverton a touch too sharp. She should appreciate the step back up to 1600 metres. | ||
| 3 | Miss Ziggy | 12 | Miss Ziggy (NZ) (Brazen Beau) was a $250,000 purchase from Karaka 2024 by Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston on behalf of owner Glenn Ritchie. Miss Ziggy has earned $201,675 in stakes, with two wins and seven placings from a 16-start career. She was a third placegetter in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) last season, and filled the same position in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1200m) in the spring. She finished second over 1500 metres at Ellerslie in January, beating subsequent Group Two Avondale Guineas (2100m) winner That's Gold (Lucky Vega). | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | AJ Carston, $250,000 |
| 4 | Bobby Mcgee | 11 | Bobby Mcgee (NZ) comes from the first crop by White Robe Lodge stallion Ancient Spirit, and she credited him with his first stakes winner in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day. That strong-finishing performance thrust her straight into second on the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series table with 7 points. Bobby Mcgee followed that up with a late-finishing fifth in the Listed Southland Guineas (1400m), then a slow start proved costly when she was unplaced in the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1600m). | ||
| 5 | Miss Starlight | 15 | The current leader in the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series is Miss Starlight (Sweynesse) with 11 points. She won the first leg, the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton in early September. She then lined up for the second leg, the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui, and finished second. She was below her best form in her next two starts after that, but showed signs of a turnaround with a close third in last Saturday's Listed Gore Guineas (1200m) at Riverton. | ||
| 6 | Bona Sforza | 13 | At this same meeting 12 months ago, Bona Sforza (Written By) made her debut in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) and romped to victory by two and a half lengths. She has made two subsequent visits to Riccarton from her Awapuni base, starting with a second in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) that earned her 4 points in the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series. She later ran a creditable fourth behind the undefeated superstar Well Written (Written Tycoon) in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) over this course and distance. Trainer Samantha Finnegan bought Bona Sforza for $150,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2024. | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | S Finnegan, $150,000 |
| 7 | Perlino | 2 | Te Akau Racing won this race 12 months ago with Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard), and their two-pronged team in this year's edition includes the promising Perlino (NZ) (Super Seth). Bought by David Ellis for $120,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2024, the chestnut filly has recorded two smart wins and a placing from five starts to date. She jumped from gate 16 over this course and distance last start and was caught three wide without cover, but overcame that tough run to win impressively. | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | DC Ellis, $120,000 |
| 8 | Dux | 10 | Dux (NZ) (Tivaci) is a half-sister to Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) placegetter Andalus (NZ) (Almanzor) and was bought for just $3,600 from Gavelhouse.com as a yearling in February 2024. Dux has had five starts for a win and a second placing, and she was a highly commendable fifth in the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie in February. This is her first start since then. | ||
| 9 | Quisiera | 9 | The most experienced filly in this line-up is Quisiera (NZ) (Sweynesse), who has had 18 starts for a win, seven seconds, three thirds, three fourths and two fifths. She is well proven over this 1600-metre distance, with six starts for a win at Wingatui back in early November, two thirds, two fourths and a fifth. She was a last-start third in the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1600m) on February 28. | ||
| 10 | Aishiteru | 1 | The second Te Akau runner in this field is Aishiteru (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who was bought by David Ellis for $150,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2024. She was an impressive last-start maiden winner over 2000 metres back in February, and she is expected to come into her own when she steps back up to that distance for the Listed Warstep Stakes later in the month. | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | DC Ellis, $150,000 |
| 11 | Graffiti Artist | 14 | Graffiti Artist (NZ) is by Turn Me Loose (NZ) out of Artiste (NZ) (Mastercraftsman), who won seven races and placed in the Group Three Rotorua Cup (2200m). Graffiti Artist herself has had just two starts, finishing fourth over 1200 metres at Ashburton on March 12 before stepping up to 1400 metres and winning in good style at the same venue on April 2. | ||
| 12 | Sweetheart | 5 | Windsor Park Stud's homebred filly Sweetheart (NZ) (Vanbrugh) has had a win, a second and two fourths from an eight-race career to date, and it's worth noting that her only previous start over 1600 metres produced a close fourth in the Group Three War Decree Stakes (1600m) at this track in October, where she finished only 1.6 lengths behind high-class winner Origin Of Love (Snitzel). | ||
| 13 | The Explosive | 3 | The Explosive (NZ) (King Of Comedy) is a half-sister to the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc De Cambes). The Explosive has herself had five starts so far, including a last-start maiden win over 1400 metres at Tauherenikau. Earlier this year, she finished fourth in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth. | ||
| 14 | Golden Spirit | 4 | Golden Spirit (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) is still a maiden but has shown plenty of promise and admirable consistency, placing in four of her five starts so far including a strong-finishing second in the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1600m) at Wingatui at the end of February. | ||
| 15 | Nameless | 7 | Although she has yet to place from 11 career starts, Nameless (The Autumn Sun) has shown glimpses of potential including a close fifth in the Group Three War Decree Stakes (1600m) over this course and distance in the spring. | ||
| 16 | Eternal Light | 16 | Jon Snow filly Eternal Light (NZ) is a half-sister to the Group Two Sunline Stakes (1600m) and Group Three Matron Stakes (1600m) winner Eternal Flame (NZ) (Sacred Falls). Eternal Light has placed in two of her six starts so far and was a late-finishing sixth in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton in the spring. |