Bonneval (NZ) Takes Series Lead With Lowland Win

Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) is the new leader in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series after producing a flying finish to win the $70,000 Group 3 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings on Thursday.

Victory in the previous leg of the Series, the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa, had earned Bonneval 8 points and moved her into fourth place on the points table with a total of 9.5. On Thursday she picked up another 6, surpassing Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge), La Diosa (NZ) (So You Think) and Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel) to take the lead with 15.5 points.

The well-bred Bonneval made up a huge amount of ground in the Hastings home straight in Thursday’s Lowland Stakes, stamping herself as a worthy contender for both the Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham in two weeks’ time and for the overall Filly of the Year Series title.

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained runner settled in midfield behind a pace that was strong in the early stages before easing down the back straight.

Turning for home the likeliest winner appeared to be the locally trained Savvy Dreams (NZ) (Savabeel), who ambled to the lead without being asked for any effort by rider Leith Innes. She let down strongly in the straight to make what looked like a winning break, only for Bonneval to unleash a withering late run to catch her in the shadows of the post and win by a half-head.

“She had a lot to do in that last 100 metres, so it was a very good effort to get up and win,” Forsman said. “She has a really strong will to win.”

Bred by Paul Newsom, Mac Whitehouse and Tony Wales’s City Bloodstock, Bonneval is by Makfi out of the Zabeel mare Imposingly. She is a full-sister to the multiple stakes winner Imposing Lass (NZ) (Makfi) and a half-sister to the stakes winners Full Of Spirit (Flying Spur) and Lady Cumquat (Duke Of Marmalade).

Bonneval has now had six starts for three wins and a Group 3 placing, earning prize-money of $126,500.

This was the second year in a row that Makfi sired the Lowland Stakes winner. It was won last year by the subsequent Filly of the Year Sofia Rosa (NZ).

Runner-up Savvy Dreams picked up her first 3 points of the Series, slotting in at equal 12th spot on the table.

In third place was Devise (NZ) (Darci Brahma), who earned another 1.5 points to sit in seventh place with a total of 6.5 points.

The next leg of the Series is the $70,000 Group 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The 10th and final leg is the $300,000 Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 18.