Clash of Winners in Ninth Leg of NZB Filly of the Year Series
4 March 2016
Classic in February.
Three previous winners of New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series races are set to do battle in the ninth leg of the Series, the Group 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase at Ellerslie tomorrow.
Coldplay (NZ) (Savabeel) won the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes in December, Duchess Kate (NZ) (Savabeel) won the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes in January and Mime (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) won the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic in February.
Promise To Reign (Manhattan Rain), Megawatt (NZ) (Shocking) and Fame Seeker (NZ) (Showcasing) have all recorded placings in previous races in the Series.
Mime sits in fifth place in the Series with 8 points, while Coldplay and Duchess Kate are sixth equal with 6 points. Promise To Reign has 4 points, Megawatt has 2 points and Fame Seeker has 1.5 points. The current leader in the Series is Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi) with 14 points.
The winner of the Sunline Vase will earn 6 points, while the second placegetter will pick up 3 points and the third placegetter receives 1.5 points.
The Sunline Vase is the penultimate race in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, which concludes with the Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on March 19.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Mime | 3 | Admirably consistent with three wins and five placings from nine starts, Mime (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) was a brave and emphatic winner of the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic in her last start. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Michael Coleman |
| 2 | Duchess Kate | 9 | A full-sister to one of last year's leading fillies in Saavoya (NZ) (Savabeel), Duchess Kate (NZ) won the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes two starts back. | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Cameron Lammas |
| 3 | Promise To Reign | 2 | Promise To Reign (Manhattan Rain) burst to prominence with a fast-finishing second in the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic last start. | Moira Murdoch | Leith Innes |
| 4 | Coldplay | 13 | Winner of the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes in December, Coldplay (NZ) (Savabeel) has subsequently run fourth in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic, fifth in the Desert Gold Stakes and fourth behind her stablemate Mime in the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Opie Bosson |
| 5 | Maritimo | 6 | A black-type winner as a two-year-old, Maritimo (NZ) (Pins) finished second in the Listed Oaks Prelude in her most recent appearance. | Graeme & Debbie Rogerson | Johnathan Parkes |
| 6 | Megawatt | 10 | A daughter of the Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, Megawatt (NZ) was stakes-placed at this course in the Group 2 Royal Stakes. | Shaune Ritchie | Alysha Collett |
| 7 | Cool Tart | 7 | Cool Tart (NZ) (Zabeel) has won twice in her nine starts and has been close behind the placegetters in three NZB Filly of the Year Series starts, including a fifth placing in the Eulogy Stakes. | Roger James | Noel Callow |
| 8 | Fame Seeker | 1 | A model of consistency in recent starts, Fame Seeker (NZ) ran third in the Eulogy Stakes, fourth in the Royal Stakes, seventh in the Desert Gold Stakes and fifth in the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic. | Lance Noble | Mark Du Plessis |
| 9 | High Class | 8 | A daughter of Shocking and the Group 1 performer Mill Duckie (NZ), High Class (NZ) was an impressive two-year-old who has mixed her form this season but was placed in the Listed Soliloquy Stakes. | Jenna Mahoney | Rosie Myers |
| 10 | Honour Princess | 12 | Honour Princess (NZ) (Ekraar) has had three starts for a win, a third and a fifth. | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs | Vinnie Colgan |
| 11 | Mistrahma | 4 | After competing in the Karaka 3YO Mile where she ran ninth, Mistrahma (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has scored an impressive win at Matamata. | Graham Richardson | Craig Grylls |
| 12 | Polar Secret | 5 | Lightly raced filly Polar Secret (NZ) (Bachelor Duke) has caught the eye with fast finishes in all four of her starts, including a last-start fourth in the Oaks Prelude. | Stephen Marsh | Danielle Johnson |
| 13 | Poetic Affair | 11 | Thewayyouare filly Poetic Affair (NZ) has shown real promise in her career to date, recording six top-four finishes in her eight starts. | Stephen McKee & Eddie Chippendale |