Eight Carat Classic Showcases Emerging NZB Filly of the Year Contenders
23 December 2024
The eagerly anticipated fifth leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series is the $270,000 Group Two Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, featuring a classy cast of 11 fillies who are poised to make an impact through the rest of the prestigious series.
The Eight Carat is worth 8 points to the winner, with 4 points for second and 2 for third. Notably, all of the last five Eight Carat winners have gone on to take the NZB Filly of the Year title – Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel), Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy), Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) and Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High).
None of the 11 fillies entered for this year’s race have earned points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series so far, but they are all race winners and have the credentials to become key contenders.
Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth) burst on the black-type scene with a smart last-start win in the Group Three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie earlier this month. The other stakes winner in the field is Hitabell (NZ) (Embellish), who led all the way for a slick last-start victory in the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui.
Prosegur (NZ) (Cape Treasure) was a last-start second placegetter in the Bonecrusher Stakes, while Romilly (So You Think) caught the eye with a flying finish into third in the O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes.
Ellerslie’s two-day Christmas Carnival is a significant week in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, with the Eight Carat Classic followed by the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) just six days later. That New Year’s Day feature also carries 8 points for first, 4 for second and 2 for third.
That means there could be some notable movement on the NZB Filly of the Year Series table, which is currently headed by Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) with 21 points, followed by Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) with 15, Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) with 6, Kitty Flash (NZ) (Ace High) with 4, Movin’ Out (NZ) (Staphanos) with 3.5, Connello (NZ) (Time Test) with 3, Love Poem (Snitzel) with 2, and Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) and Skymax (NZ) (Ferrando) with 1.5 each.
The Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic will be run as Race 8 at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, with a scheduled start time of 4:32pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sethito | 11 | Waikato Stud's well-bred filly Sethito (NZ) is a daughter of last season's leading first-season sire Super Seth, while her dam Suavito (NZ) (Thorn Park) won the Group One CF Orr Stakes (1400m) and Futurity Stakes (1400m). Sethito finished third and fifth in her first two starts, but then blinkers brought a major turnaround. She was a six-length maiden winner at Rotorua on November 19, then stepped up to stakes level and impressively won the Group Three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on December 7.Waikato Stud will offer a half-sister to Sethito at Karaka 2025. The colt by Savabeel is catalogued as Lot 337 in Book 1. | ||
| 2 | Hitabell | 4 | Hitabell (NZ) (Embellish) was a bargain buy for just $9,500 from the 2023 National Online Yearling Sale. She has already earned $61,860 from a four-race career that has produced two wins including an emphatic all-the-way victory in the Listed O'Learys Fillies' Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui on November 30. | 2023 National Online Yearling Sale | Stephen Marsh Racing/Dylan Johnson Bloodstock, $9,500 |
| 3 | Myakkabelle | 1 | Brewers Bloodstock paid $55,000 at Karaka 2023 to buy Myakkabelle (NZ) (War Decree), who has so far had six starts for two wins, three placings and $35,310 in stakes. She is proven at the 1600-metre distance of the Eight Carat Classic, winning over that trip at New Plymouth on October 25 and finishing a last-start third at Ellerslie on December 12. Both of those runs were against older horses at Rating 65 and Rating 75 level. Inglewood Stud will offer a Russian Revolution half-sister to Myakkabelle as Lot 131 in Book 1 of Karaka 2025. | Karaka 2023, Book 1 | Brewers Bloodstock, $55,000 |
| 4 | Prosegur | 7 | Prosegur (NZ) (Proisir) was a $55,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2023. She showed promising signs winning two of her first three starts, then finished strongly out of the pack for a last-start second behind stablemate Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth) in the Group Three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m). Prosegur has so far earned $57,560 in prize-money. | Karaka 2023, Book 2 | Wexford Stables, $55,000 |
| 5 | Romilly | 10 | Trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall have an exciting Boxing Day in store with top-class mare Snazzytavi (NZ) (Tavistock) lining up as favourite in the Group One Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m), but promising filly Romilly (So You Think) could play a big supporting act. The $110,000 Karaka 2023 purchase flew home from last for an eye-catching third in the Listed O'Learys Fillies' Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui in her most recent appearance. Wentwood Grange will offer a Hellbent half-sister to Romilly as Lot 2 of Book 1 of Karaka 2025. | Karaka 2023, Book 1 | Richardson Racing Stables/B McCullum, $110,000 |
| 6 | Astoria Brooke | 8 | Trelawney Stud homebred Astoria Brooke (NZ) (American Pharoah) has had three starts so far. She relished the step up to 1400 metres in her most recent appearance at Tauranga, finishing powerfully from the back of the field for a stylish maiden win. Trelawney will offer a half-brother to Astoria Brooke during Karaka 2025. The colt by Sword Of State will go through the ring as Lot 461 in Book 1. | ||
| 7 | Fun Never Sets | 6 | Go Racing's Fun Never Sets (NZ) (Proisir) was a $50,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2023. She was unplaced in her first four starts, but improved markedly with a strong-finishing maiden win at Ellerslie on November 30. | Karaka 2023, Book 1 | Go Racing, $50,000 |
| 8 | Honey Badger | 2 | Honey Badger (NZ) (El Roca) was bought for $50,000 from the 2023 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. She showed promise at two, finishing second on debut and fifth in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m), and she returned to action with a smart first-up win at Te Aroha in late October. In her only other start, she made up good ground from last when seventh in the Group Three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m). | 2023 Ready to Run Sale | Hope Racing, $30,000 |
| 9 | Real Class | 9 | Real Class (NZ) (Vadamos) is a daughter of multiple Group One placegetter Mill Duckie (NZ) (Magic Ring), who herself finished fifth in the Eight Carat in 2008. Mill Duckie's daughter Shez Class (NZ) (Vadamos) also ran fifth in the Eight Carat in 2022. Real Class is a full-sister to that black-type performer and has had just two starts so far. She was a last-start maiden winner at Te Aroha. | ||
| 10 | Reggae Queen | 3 | The three-start career of Reggae Queen (Exceedance) has followed a rapid upward trajectory, finishing 10th on debut and fourth in her second start before storming home from last to win by two and a half lengths at Te Aroha on November 27. | Karaka 2023, Book 1 | Psd, Res $100,000 |
| 11 | Vesphire | 5 | Vesphire (NZ) (Vespa) was an impressive maiden winner at Taupo in September and has subsequently finished third, second and a last-start fourth in the Listed O'Learys Fillies' Stakes (1340m). | 2023 National Online Yearling Sale | Psd, Res $10,000 |