Bobby Mcgee (NZ) makes NZB Southern Filly Statement at Wingatui

A career-first appearance at stakes level proved to be a very special one for local filly Bobby Mcgee (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) in the $100,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day.

Bobby Mcgee defied $17 odds for an impressive win in the NZB Airfreight Stakes, which was the second leg of the 2025-26 NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series.

Victory in the NZB Airfreight Stakes was worth 7 points for Bobby Mcgee, who has slotted into second spot on the NZB Southern Filly table. The leader is still the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) winner Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) with 11 points – 7 from winning the first leg and 4 for finishing second on Boxing Day.

The Terry Kennedy-trained Bobby Mcgee finished third at Riverton in April in her only start as a two-year-old. She resumed with a fifth over 1200 metres at Timaru in September, then won impressively over the same distance at Wingatui on October 17. Her upward trajectory was interrupted with a fifth placing at Invercargill on December 13 after being caught three wide for a large part of the race, but that did nothing to shake Kennedy’s confidence as he built towards Boxing Day.

Bobby Mcgee rewarded her trainer’s faith in style in the NZB Airfreight Stakes. After settling in midfield, she was set alight in the straight by jockey Rohan Mudhoo and came with big bounds down the outside to sail past the proven black-type winners Miss Starlight and Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel).

Bred and raced by Craig and Jim Hunter, Bobby Mcgee has now had five starts for two wins, a placing and $72,830 in stakes.

“She is a really nice filly and her work since the run at Invercargill has been top-class,” Kennedy said. “She didn’t have a lot of luck that day, and going back to her home track gave us confidence she could compete today.

“She is a beautiful, big filly who will only get better as she matures. I think, the way she finished off today, she will get up to 2000 metres without much fuss.

“She probably has three more runs left in her before we put her aside for a break. She can chase the three-year-old series and I think her last run is likely to be in the Dunedin Guineas (Listed, 1600m) here in late February.”

Miss Starlight and Bobby McGee’s tallies of 11 and 7 points respectively have them as the clear pace-setters in the NZB Southern Filly Series. Bona Sforza (Written By) is back in third with 4 points, while Intention (NZ) (Bivouac) and Cool Aza Rene have 2 each.

The NZB Southern Filly Series now takes a summer break before resuming with the $80,000 Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on April 11.