Choice Into the Top Three in Filly of the Year Series

Three-year-old filly Choice (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) has shot into contention for New Zealand Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year Series with victory in the Group 3 $70,000 LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Awapuni Racecourse on Saturday.

A half-sister to Choice by freshman sire Jimmy Choux is entered as Lot 948 in the 2015 Karaka Select Sale for Wentwood Grange.

Breaking her maiden status fresh up at the start of her campaign, this is Choice’s second win from seven starts with trainer Robert Patterson.

Choice went towards the back of the field on leaving the gates and quietly made up ground. Turning for home, rider Vanessa Johnston came out wide and the three-year-old filly showed an exceptional turn of foot as she raced to claim victory by one length.

A Karaka trifecta was achieved as Attention Seeker (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous) claimed second place and 3 points in the Filly of the Year Series, and Palace Rock (NZ) (Fastnet Rock) earned 1.5 points for finishing third.

"It's been the plan for a long time to win this and it's great that it's come off,” commented Patterson. "She's going to have three weeks in the paddock now to rest up and then I'll bring her back and get her ready for the Oaks.

"I said to the owner that the two goals would be to win the Eulogy and the Oaks so it's terrific to get the first one out of the way.”

Choice placed second in her racing debut as a late two-year-old. She then resumed racing as an early three-year-old, claiming her first success at Awapuni followed by a second in the Listed Soliloquy Stakes.

The Group 3 win on Saturday has taken the Choice’s earnings to $57,800 for owner Mrs S Hole. Choice was passed in at the 2013 Karaka Select Sale from Seaton Park.

Bred by owner Mrs S Hole, Choice is out of an Encosta de Lago mare, Femme Britannia. Her granddam Baroness Britney (Barathea) is a half-sister to stakes winner Elected (Bletchingly) and Latin Quarter (Danehill).

Winning the third leg of the Filly of the Year Series has given Choice 6 points in the Series, placing her third equal on the leaderboard with O’Marilyn (O’Reilly). Currently leading Filly of the Year is Platinum Witness (California Dane) with 12 points and in second place is Darci’s Dream (NZ) (Darci Brahma) with 7 points.

The next race in the Series is the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic held on Boxing Day at Ellerslie.

The win also gives Choice first points in the Wellfield Stud Triple Crown. She earned 3 points in the Triple Crown Series with Attention Seeker receiving 2 points and Palace Rock 1 point. The next leg in the Triple Crown is the Group 2 Desert Gold Stakes before culminating in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks.

To view the NZB Filly of the Year Leaderboard, click here.