Chaparella Draws Even in Southern Filly of the Year

Wingatui-based filly Chaparella came from the clouds to land the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1400m) at her home track on Saturday, a win which sees her a current joint leader of the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series.

The second event in the four-race Series was a competitive contest from the outset with all 15 fillies jostling for position from the jump.

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�Windsor Park Stud's High Chaparral - sire of Chaparella and the Group 1 winning Shoot Out, So You Think, and Monaco Consul from his first NZ crop

Race favourite The Beekeeper (Keeper) lead the field from her handy barrier and went about setting herself as the one to catch in the Wingatui straight. Chaparella (High Chaparrall x Peak Time, by Straight Strike) was positioned mid-field on the rail for jockey Jay Misbah who gave his charge a lovely run in transit, saving ground with cover.

Rounding the home-bend the field bunched markedly, with all contestants well within striking distance of victory. However, The Beekeeper was only giving her competitors false hope as she sprinted from the front as the field straightened and quite clearly made herself the one to catch and the one to beat.

Chaparella in the meantime was eased wide by Misbah, eventually a gap appeared, and within an instant the three-year-old filly was charging down the very outside of the field.

Chaparella hit the front in an instant and ran away in the final 50m to win by a length and a quarter over The Beekeeper, with Howbadouneedit (Howbaddouwantit) a nose away third.

Trained by Steven Prince, Chaparella won her maiden by 10 and three quarter lengths at Gore on 11 October and since then has won three more races including the Listed Liquorland Gore Guineas against the colts two starts ago.

With prize-money totalling $65,000, Chaparella shares the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series lead with first-leg, Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes, winner Brown Eyed Grace (Van Nistelrooy). The Beekeeper and Te Akau Rose (Thorn Park) share third place with three points apiece.

Click here for the full NZB Southern Filly of the Year leader-board.

Chaparella is the only stakes-winning filly produced by High Chaparral in the Southern Hemisphere thus far, however in the Northern Hemisphere his fillies have provided real highlights through the likes of Group 2 winner The Miniver Rose, and Group 1 placed High Heeled, Unsung Heroine, Joanna, Serienhoehe, and Beach Bunny.

Chaparella is the first foal of five-time winning Straight Strike mare Peak Time with the family also responsible for Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas winner Prepak, and more recently Group 2 Travis Stakes� and Group 3 Rotorua Cup winner Katy Keen.

The Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on 10 April is the next race in the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series with Steven Prince having confirmed the race as Chaparella's next target.