Exciting Line Up For Eight Carat Classic

Friday's Boxing Day line up for the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at the Auckland Racing Club has attracted a class field and some serious competition for points in the 2003-04 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.

The current leader in the 2003-04 Filly of the Year Series is the Graeme Rogerson and Stephen Autridge trained Taatletail (Faltaat x Defensive Lady) with 24 points. On Friday Taatletail will face her closest rival for the title, Eulogy Stakes winner Kainui Belle (Kashani x Lady Ukiah) who has 13 points. Kainui Belle, trained by Wayne and Vanessa Hillis, will be looking to turn the tables on Taatletail after finishing a close second to the Faltaat filly in the Gr.1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas last month.

Another smart filly, the Mike Moroney and Andrew Scott trained Sarah Vee (End Sweep x Captivating) who is currently third on the Filly of the Year points table with 4 points, will also compete in the Eight Carat on Friday. Sarah Vee finished second at her last start and was highly impressive when winning the Listed Soliloquy Stakes at Auckland in October.

Also with Filly of the Year points already on the table is the Dick & Chris Bothwell trained Danette (Danske x Amynette) who has 3 points in the Series from her second placing behind Taatletail in the Lowland Stakes at Masterton in October.

Other fillies in on Friday who are looking to gain their first points in the prestigious Series include; Bhandara (Zabeel x Vedodara), Eftee One (Volksraad x Bashful Lady), Heads Or Tales (Tale of the Cat x Head of the River), Hot Elle (Al Akbar x Hot Classic), Luca (Gold Brose x Pure Vice), Marlena (Zabeel x Vargas Diamond), Minza Diamond (Strike Diamonds x Ginsyn), Miss Tea Rose (Gold Brose x Miss Tree), Mohawk (Volksraad x My Chameleon), Ocean Melodie (Unbridled's Song x French Tide), Pride Of The Class (Volksraad x Grosvenor's Pride), Rockabubble (Bubble Gum Fellow x Blond Rocket), The Bell Ringer (Masterclass x Buzz My Bell).

The points available in Friday's Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic will be;
1st � 8 points
2nd � 4 points
3rd � 2 points

The next race in the Series will be the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes at the Auckland Racing Club on Friday 2 January.

For more information on the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series please contact Taryn Bax at New Zealand Bloodstock on (09) 298 0055 email: taryn@nzb.co.nz , or view the New Zealand Bloodstock website, where the series is updated after each race.