First Filly Series Points for Whistling Dixie

A hard-fought victory by Whistling Dixie (NZ) (Pins) in the Group 3 $70,000 Ezibuy Eulogy Stakes (1600m) has propelled the filly into contention for the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series as she earned a valuable six points in the Series.

Whistling Dixie (NZ) winning the Group 3 Ezibuy Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni on Saturday.

The Graeme and Debbie Rogerson trained three-year-old filly entered the Saturday’s Group 3 feature at Awapuni on the back of a tough last start run when racing wide throughout the race and battling on well to finish seventh.

Ridden by Aimee Taylor, the daughter of Pins was able to find a good position in behind the leaders with cover by the end of the back straight. The pair hit the front halfway down the straight and had to hold off the fast finish of Miss Selby (NZ) (O’Reilly) to hang on to win by a long head.

“Debbie bought her for Segenhoe Stud, they are very excited and we are looking forward to the Eight Carat Stakes now,” stated Graeme Rogerson.

 “She is a nice filly that is maturing all the time, a lovely big filly too.She will go on now to the Eight Carat Stakes and Royal Stakes and follow the Filly of the Year Series onto Te Rapa and the Oaks.

“Her go will be if she stays the Oaks trip and the other fillies don’t get the mile-and-a-quarter. We have been waiting for these fillies races to start stepping up over more ground and that’s what we have been aiming for.”

The three-year-old filly has now raced eight times for two wins and three seconds for her New South Wales-based owners Segenhoe Thoroughbreds, earning them $69,225 in prizemoney.

Bred by Garry Chittick of Waikato Stud, who also bred Diademe (NZ) (Savabeel) for a feature race win on Saturday, Whistling Dixie is a daughter of unraced Danasinga mare Zephyr Song, a daughter of Group 1 winning mare Zepherin (Zephyr Bay) and is also a half-sister to the Group 1 performer Glenview (Sir Tristram).

Debbie Rogerson purchased the filly at the 2012 Karaka Select Sale for a bargain price of $30,000 from Waikato Stud.

Whistling Dixie earned 6 points in the Filly of the Year Series and now sits fourth overall in the Series with the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas victor Costa Viva (Encosta de Lago) holding her position at the top of the leaderboard on 15 points, two ahead of Bounding.

Saturday’s runner-up Miss Selby gained 3 points whilst Zaperb (NZ) (Volksraad) collected 1.5 points in the Series for finishing third.

The next race in the Series is the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, which is most likely to see the reappearance of current Series leader Costa Viva. The Group 2 will be offering 8 points to the winner, with 4 for second and 2 for third.

For the up-to-date NZB Filly of the Year Series leaderboard and race schedule visit www.nzb.co.nz.