Filly Series Crown Gets Closer this Saturday

The penultimate leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series will be contested on Saturday with the running of the Group 3 $70,000 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hawke’s Bay.

The Lowland Stakes is the last chance for fillies to gain points for the Filly of the Year Series before the final race of the 10-race Series, the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks on 15 March.

A select field of nine fillies will line up on Saturday, headed by Miss Selby (NZ) (O’Reilly), who has 6 points in the Series and is the current favourite of the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks. Miss Selby carries the most points in the Series of any filly in the field, with Costa Viva, Hera, Bounding, Spellbinder and Rising Romance all above her on the table yet absent from this race on Saturday.

One of two fillies in the race trained locally by John Bary, Miss Selby has finished second at her last two starts, both at Group 3 level, in the Eulogy Stakes and the Desert Gold Stakes. In total she has had five starts to date, never finishing outside of the top three. She will be ridden by Jonathan Riddell from barrier 3.

The well-named Guillotine filly Chop Chop (NZ) (Guillotine) enters the race having finished a strong fourth in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic at her last start. The Shaune Ritchie trained filly had won her two previous starts. She heads into the race as the second favourite of the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks, and will start from barrier 8 over the 2100m journey.

Finishing one place behind Chop Chop in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic was Miss Mossman (NZ) (Mossman) who finished fifth, racing ungenerously through the middle stages of the race. The filly was a strong three-length winner at her previous start for trainers John Sargent and Hayden Allen. She will be ridden by Bridget Grylls from barrier 5.

Well-related filly Porotene Park (NZ) (Thorn Park) brings sound form into Saturday’s race with a late-finishing third behind the in-form Moozoon over 1800m at New Plymouth at her last start. The daughter of Thorn Park, who is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Eileen Dubh (Storm Creek), has drawn barrier 4 for rider Robert Hannam and trainer Robert Patterson.

Waikato Stud-bred and owned mare Far Fetched (NZ) (Pins) enters the race having won or placed in three of her four raceday appearances. The John Bary trained filly was a winner on debut before two placings and an unplaced effort in the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes. Rosie Myers takes the mount on the Pins filly from barrier 7.

Matamata trainer Karen Fursdon has her filly High Viz (NZ) (Perfectly Ready) engaged in the Group 3 feature. The filly by Perfectly Ready was last seen flashing home for second over 1600m at Te Aroha after beginning awkwardly and settling near the tail of the field. High Viz has drawn barrier 6 for rider Buddy Lammas.

Coming out of the same race at Te Aroha is the Stephen Marsh trained Cursive (NZ) (Darci Brahma) who disappointed that time out. The Darci Brahma filly was a strong two-length winner prior to that over 2200m, displaying a preference for a staying journey, and has drawn the inside for Saturday’s event.

Two maiden fillies round out the field with Kalinga (NZ) (Sakhee’s Secret) for trainer Suzy Gordon, and Phone Girl (NZ) (Postponed) for Paul Bourke, both stepping up to a staying distance for the first time.

NZB’s Filly of the Year Series is currently led by Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas winner Costa Viva (Encosta de Lago) on 20.5 points, ahead of last start Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic winner Hera (NZ) (O’Reilly) on 16 points. Saturday’s Lowland Stakes winner will receive 6 points in the Series, with the runner-up earning 3 points, and third collecting 1.5 points.

The last race in the Series, the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks, will offer 12 points to the winner, with 7 for second and 3.5 for third.