Fillies Series Set to Sizzle

The prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series is set to kick off in two weeks with the running of the first race of the Series: the Gr.3 Highview Stakes (1200m) at the Hawkes Bay Racing Club on 18 September.

The 2004-05 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series schedule remains largely unchanged from last year. Click 'Filly Of The Year' on the menu bar to see which races will comprise the competitive ten-race series in 2004/5.

The principal change is that the Soliloquy Stakes will now be run on 27 November, rather than in the lead up to the New Zealand Bloodstock One Thousand Guineas. Last year this race was run on Labour Weekend but the Auckland RC isn't racing at Labour Weekend in 2004 (the equivalent meeting having been moved into 30 October). If the Soliloquy was run then it would only be 7 days from the Grp. 1 Guineas and therefore couldn't form part of the Series. The ARC have therefore scheduled it for 27 November. Marketing & PR Manager, Petrea Vela said, "In light of the popularity of the Soliloquy as part of the Series, we pleased that it is able to continue to be included in the Series, albeit after the Thousand Guineas."

New Zealand Bloodstock is also pleased to report that the stakes have increased for two of the races in the Series: the Soliloquy Stakes has now gone from $30,000 to $35,000, and the Robertson Motors Eulogy Stakes has increased from $40,000 to $50,000.

This year's Series is set to be a scorcher with a number of last season's quality two-year-old fillies set to progress nicely as three-year-olds. The weekend saw two top-class fillies, Sheka and Sista, pick up black type at Wanganui in the Waikato Stud Stakes and the Wanganui Guineas respectively. These two will no doubt feature with a host of other smart fillies looking to accede to the throne of last year's impressive winner, Taatletail.
As in past years, points will be awarded on the following basis:

Gr.1 1st:12 points 2nd:7 points 3rd:3.5 points
Gr.2 1st:8 points 2nd:4 points 3rd:2 points
Gr.3 1st:6 points 2nd:3 points 3rd:1.5 points
Listed 1st:4 points 2nd:2 points 3rd:1 point

The owner of the winning filly in 2004/5 will receive $15,000 from New Zealand Bloodstock, the trainer and breeder of the winning filly will each receive $5,000, and the breeder of the winning filly will also receive $5,000.
The field for the Highview Stakes will be available on Wednesday 15 September.
For details on the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, including the up to date points table, check our website www.nzb.co.nz.