Annabel Rose Looking to Extend Southern Filly Series Lead

Valuable points are up for grabs in the third leg of NZB’s Southern Filly of the Year Series at Riccarton on Saturday, the $50,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m).

The NZB Airfreight Stakes is the third race of the four race Series and will award seven points to the winner, offering joint leader Annabel Rose (Pins) the opportunity to take the Series lead after she won the last leg, the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes at Wingatui on 9 March.

Annabel Rose currently sits on seven points equal with Emerald Queen (O’Reilly) who is absent from Saturday’s field but won the first leg, the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes.

The daughter of Pins will be one of two runners for her trainers John & Karen Parsons who will also saddle Keynote (Pentire) who finished third behind her stable mate in the NZB Insurance Stakes.

North Island based trainers Steven Ramsay & Julia Ritchie will saddle two runners, the smart up-and-comer Adolay (Fast ‘N’ Famous), who has won two of her three career starts, and North of Sunset (Red Ransom) who ran fourth at her last start in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes (2100m) behind High Fashion.

Set Me Free (Ishiguru) also contested the Lowland Stakes but was unplaced after a tough run where she led the field for much of the race.

Kevin & Pam Hughes have two runners in Pamina (Keeper) and Champagne Katie (Darci Brahma) who ran second in the last leg of the Series behind Annabel Rose, beating Keynote.

Young sire Iffraaj will have two runners with last start winner and stakes placed two-year-old Kisses contesting the race along with If I Can I Can who ran fourth in the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes in January against a good field of fillies.

Coat du Roan (Any Suggestion) will make the trip south and come back in distance after contesting the Group 3 Sunline Stakes at her last start while Marmi (Lion Heart) will also travel south after finishing fourth in her last start against a good field at Tauranga.

The lightly raced filly Persia (Perfectly Ready) completes the field and will make her stakes debut after breaking her maiden at just her third appearance last start at Riccarton over 1400 metres.

To view the current points table for the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series, click here.

The winner of the $50,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes will earn 7 points in the Southern Filly of the Year Series with second earning 3 points and third 1 point.