Contessa Vanessa (NZ) Steps Up in Eight Carat

Contessa Vanessa (NZ) (Bullbars) made a big move up the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series leaderboard with a stunning last-gasp win in the $100,000 Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

The Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained filly collected no points from an unlucky seventh in the Group 1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, and she was again blocked in the straight before sprinting into third place in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1550m) at Awapuni to earn 1.5 points.

On the big stage of Ellerslie Racecourse on Boxing Day, Contessa Vanessa produced a breakthrough performance.

After getting back in the field, Contessa Vanessa began to warm up in the straight before once again hitting a wall of horses and having to change course. Jockey Ryan Elliot found a path along the inside and the filly burst through, snatching a thrilling victory by a head from Kapoor (NZ) (Reliable Man) and Gris Dame (NZ) (Reliable Man).

“Halfway up the straight I had nowhere to go but she got the split and really lifted through it,” said Elliot. “She’s a quiet filly who you just have to ask, and she will do it for you.”

Co-trainer Graeme Rogerson was delighted by the filly’s change of fortunes.

“She’s just had no luck,” he said. “Chris Johnson said she should have run second in the 1000 Guineas and Ryan thought she should have won her last start. I think she’d have been very unlucky if she hadn’t won today.”

Bred by Robhar Breeding & Racing, Contessa Vanessa was a $50,000 purchase at the 2016 Select Sale.

She has now had 13 starts for three wins, four placings and $95,850 in prizemoney for owners B W Amies, D W Lake, G A Rogerson MNZM, L H M Salvidge and D Wenham.

Contessa Vanessa earned another 8 points for her Eight Carat win, taking her to a total 9.5 and third place on the table. Kapoor and Gris Dame earned their first points of the Series, picking up 4 and 2 respectively.

The top two positions on the table remain unchanged. Dijon Bleu (NZ) (Burgundy) bypassed the race and still leads with 16 points, while second-placed Hasahalo (NZ) (Savabeel) was unplaced and unable to add to her 12 points.

The next leg of the Series is the $100,000 Group 2 Stella Artois Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day, with Contessa Vanessa likely to be a leading contender again.

“I think she can win the Royal Stakes,” Rogerson said.