Anabandana Makes Brilliant Return

Last season's Champion New Zealand Two-Year-Old Anabandana has made a stunning return as a three-year-old, winning the Group 3 Hawke's Bay Breeders' Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday.

In a pillar to post victory for the Don Sellwood trained filly, Anabandana (Anabaa x Great Notice) made it a one horse affair in the opening leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's Filly of the Year Series, as she jumped on the speed and led the pack into the straight where she maintained her one-and-three-quarter-length margin to the line with ease.

Ridden by jockey Opie Bosson, Anabandana has sounded a warning to her rivals with Sellwood declaring after the race that she was only half-ready for the Group 3 and will take lengths of improvement from the race. The filly holds nominations for the Group 1 2000, and Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas.

Bred by Reavill Farm Thoroughbreds, Anabandana's win puts her in the lead in New Zealand Bloodstock's Filly of the Year Series on six points.

Running second was the classy filly and Karaka graduate Testa Secret (Testa Rossa x Acacian Secret) who raced on the speed and put in a solid performance. The race was her second consecutive stakes placing after winning the Listed Castletown Stakes two starts back and she takes home three points in the Series for Kevin Gray.

Fellow Karaka graduate Prestigious Miss (Written Tycoon x Mathematical) has secured one-and-a-half Series points for her trainer Roger James after putting in one of the runs of the race, coming from last in transit and racing home wide in the straight.

The second leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's Filly of the Year Series, the Listed Soliloquy Lodge Stakes (1400m), will be held on 24 September at Ellerslie. To view the current points table for the Series, click here.