Fix Lands Big Result for Iffraaj

Talented three-year-old filly Fix (NZ) has lived up to her billing and produced a big result for her young sire Iffraaj in yesterday’s $100,000 Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie - the fifth leg of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year Series.

Trained by Ken & Bev Kelso, Fix (Iffraaj x Destined) claimed 8 points in NZB’s Filly of the Year Series, taking her to second place in the Series behind current leader Rollout the Carpet. Her comfortable victory was a timely result for her young sire Iffraaj who has 69 yearlings entered for the 2013 Karaka Yearling Sales.

Fix did not get all favours in yesterday’s race, getting checked mid-race and forced to race three wide on the corner, but she put her opposition away in the straight in the hands of jockey Vinnie Colgan, racing away with her ears pricked to an easy one length win.

The Graeme & Debbie Rogerson trained Soriano (Savabeel x Call Me Lily) maintained her solid form – having won the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes at her last start – running second earning four points, taking her total to 10 points and third place behind Fix in the Series.  

The Darling One (Lonhro x Doubloon) raced well for third, earning 2 points, her first of the Series for trainers Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young.

Fix was bred by Haunui Farm Ltd & Frantic Bloodstock Ltd and she is the second Southern Hemisphere stakes winner for her sire Iffraaj who stands at Haunui Farm. Iffraaj’s first crop are now three-year-olds and he leads the second season sires in New Zealand by progeny earnings and winners with 11.

“It’s a great result for Iffraaj,” commented Haunui Farm General Manager Mark Chitty. “He now has two stakes winners from his first crop and this filly (Fix) looks very smart. Given Iffraaj was a Group 2 winning sprinter at ages four and five, his progeny are winning stakes races earlier than he did and I think the best is still to come.”

A half-sister to Fix by Zabeel will be offered by Haunui Farm at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2013 Karaka Premier Sale at Lot 103.

“She is a lovely filly and I think she will be one of the Zabeel fillies of the Sale,” commented Chitty. “She is more forward than Fix was as a yearling and is a real guineas style of filly.”

“She is also a sister to the Lloyd Williams raced Delivery who looks a very smart prospect having won four of his five starts in Australia.

Fix is raced by Mr GE Harding who purchased the filly from Haunui Farm at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for $220,000. She has now won four of her seven starts for over $120,000 in stakes.

The next leg in New Zealand Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year Series – the $100,000 Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes (2000m) – will be held at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. To view the current points table, click here.