Full Field of Fillies Chases Oaks Glory
16 March 2023
Even without the title of New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year on the line, Saturday’s last leg of the 11-race series promises to deliver an exciting finale.
The $450,000 Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham is the richest and one of the most coveted prizes on the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series itinerary, but not even the massive 12 points available to the winner will be enough for anyone to catch Legarto (NZ) (Proisir).
With spectacular performances in the Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m), Legarto amassed an unassailable 26 points and has had the Filly of the Year title in safe keeping for several weeks.
But despite not having that Filly of the Year factor, the Oaks loses none of its lustre. The prestigious classic has been won by some of New Zealand’s standout fillies of the last half-century, such as La Mer (NZ) (Copenhagen), Solveig (NZ) (Imposing), Domino (NZ) (Grosvenor), Snap (NZ) (Kingdom Bay), Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon), Savannah Success (Success Express), Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago) and Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi).
A full field of 18 fillies will line up at Trentham on Saturday afternoon and attempt to join that roll of honour. Sakura Girl (NZ) (Iffraaj), Val Di Zoldo (NZ) (War Decree) and Diss Is Dramatic (NZ) (Dissident) have already been Group winners, while half a dozen others have been placegetters at black-type level.
Second place on the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series table is well and truly up for grabs, with Sakura Girl currently in fourth on 10 points, Val Di Zoldo sixth on 6 points, Sedaka (NZ) (Savabeel) eighth on 7 points, Contagious (NZ) (Proisir) ninth on 6 points, and Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) one point behind her with 5.
The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks will be run as Race 8 at Trentham on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 5.23pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
| 1 | Sakura Girl | 11 | Bought for $260,000 from the 2021 Ready to Run Sale, Sakura Girl (NZ) (Iffraaj) has the right bloodlines for a race like the Oaks. Her sire Iffraaj has been represented by Derby-winning progeny Gingernuts (NZ), Jon Snow (NZ) and Western Empire (NZ), while her dam line goes back to the exceptional Soliloquy (NZ) (Sobig) - the dam of 1985 Oaks winner Solveig (NZ) (Imposing). Sakura Girl herself was a debut winner in late October, then finished sixth in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), fifth in the Group Two Royal Stakes (2000m) and second in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m). She earned Oaks favouritism with a last-start victory in the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). | 2021 Ready to Run Sale | Upper Bloodstock, $260,000 |
| 2 | Val Di Zoldo | 5 | Val Di Zoldo (NZ) (War Decree) was bought for $285,000 from the Valachi Downs Unreserved Young & Racing Stock Dispersal on Gavelhouse Plus last winter. She has been a model of consistency all season, finishing in the top four in all of her first six starts - three of them behind Filly of the Year Legarto (NZ) (Proisir). The Tony Pike-trained filly has found the winning groove in her two most recent races, including the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). | ||
| 3 | Diss Is Dramatic | 9 | Trainer Lisa Latta and syndicators Go Racing have teamed up to win this race before, taking it out with Sentimental Miss (NZ) (Reliable Man) in 2019. This year they join forces again with Diss Is Dramatic (NZ) (Dissident), who has already been a dual black-type winner as a two-year-old and spring three-year-old. She produced an eye-catching late run in her last start, getting within two lengths of the winner when fifth in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). | Karaka 2021, Book 1 | Go Racing, $60,000 |
| 4 | Contagious | 2 | Bought by her trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood for $41,000 from the South Island Sale, Contagious (NZ) (Proisir) has been remarkably consistent and has never finished further back than fourth in her 10-start career. She ran second in the Listed Futurity Stakes (1400m) as a two-year-old, and has added placings in this season's Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m) and Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). | 2021 South Island Sale | RA James/R Wellwood, $41,000 |
| 5 | Family Ties | 6 | Te Akau Racing has won this race in both of the last two years with Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) and Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy). That tradition could be upheld by Family Ties (NZ) (Contributer), who was a $60,000 purchase at the 2021 Ready to Run Sale. She has won two of her seven starts, headed by last month's Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m), and she was an unlucky sixth in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). | 2021 Ready to Run Sale | DC Ellis, $60,000 |
| 6 | Pennyweka | 4 | Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) has won one of her eight starts, scoring impressively in a $60,000 race on Livamol Classic Day at Hastings in October. Since then she has finished third in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m), ninth in the Group Two Wellington Guineas (1400m), second in the Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and a last-start third in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). | ||
| 7 | Sedaka | 13 | Syndicators Go Racing paid $125,000 to buy Sedaka (NZ) (Savabeel) from last year's Valachi Downs Unreserved Young & Racing Stock Dispersal on Gavelhouse Plus. The Stephen Marsh-trained filly has recorded a win and four placings from eight starts to date, including a second in the Group Two Royal Stakes (2000m) on New Year's Day and a last-start second behind Sakura Girl (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). | ||
| 8 | Sheez Dominant | 14 | Vanbrugh filly Sheez Dominant (NZ) rose to prominence with a stylish win in the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m) on September 3. She ran third and fourth in her next two starts, then returned to black-type company with a strong second in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m). In her final Oaks lead-up, she ran seventh in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). | ||
| 9 | Helly Belly | 16 | Helly Belly (NZ) (Reliable Man) was a two-time visitor to the Karaka sales complex, selling for $25,000 in Book 2 of Karaka 2021 and then fetching $90,000 at the Ready to Run Sale later that year. She scored a smart maiden win at her second start in late December, then stepped up to 1950 metres to record a dominant victory by three and a half lengths at Rotorua on March 2. This is her first appearance at black-type level. | 2021 Ready to Run Sale | Marcus Corban Bloodstock, $90,000 |
| 10 | Mischief Managed | 1 | Mischief Managed (NZ) (Derryn) scored back-to-back wins in December and January in a maiden sprint and a 1400-metre Rating 65, then stepped up in distance and finished seventh over 1600 metres. That earned her a shot at the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m), in which she produced a game late run to finish sixth. Mischief Managed was a $20,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2021. | Karaka 2021, Book 2 | MJ & TT Stratford, $20,000 |
| 11 | Flamenco | 17 | Fifth on debut in her only spring appearance, Flamenco (NZ) (Tavistock) has come back as a different filly in 2023. She ran second on January 4 behind the highly rated Islington Lass (NZ) (Proisir), who has won impressively again since then. After doing things wrong at Hastings in late January, Flamenco took a big step forward with a powerful finish to win a maiden race at New Plymouth on February 17, and then stepped up to stakes level with a last-start fourth in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). | ||
| 12 | Fabulous Gal | 8 | One of the least experienced runners in this year's Oaks field, Fabulous Gal (NZ) (Fabulous) debuted with an encouraging fourth over 1400 metres in late December. She was a maiden winner at her next start, then finished eighth in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) before an eye-catching second over 2100 metres in her most recent race. | ||
| 13 | Soul Of Fire | 15 | Unplaced in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m) in November in only her second career start, Soul Of Fire (NZ) (Preferment) has been a significant improver through the four months since. She ran second and first in her next two starts, and she warmed up for the Oaks with a big run for second over 2200 metres at Awapuni on March 1. | ||
| 14 | The Woman King | 18 | The Woman King (NZ) (Sacred Falls) is a three-quarter-sister to the outstanding Macau performer Sacred Capital (NZ) (O'Reilly). She was bought for only $7,100 as a weanling and has already earned black-type, finishing a close second in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth in February. She was a last-start 12th in the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). | 2020 National Weanling Sale | Stirling Bloodstock, $7,100 |
| 15 | Malfy Rosa | 10 | Ruakaka visitor Malfy Rosa (NZ) (Burgundy) comes into the race off a career-best effort, finishing a highly creditable last-start fourth behind superstar Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 11. She had been a maiden winner over 2100 metres in her previous start, which was also at Te Rapa. | ||
| 16 | Mehzebeen | 12 | Bought for $50,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2021, Mehzebeen (NZ) (Almanzor) picked up two fifth placings from her first three starts. Stepping up in distance proved to be the key to turning things around, producing a potent finish out of the pack to score an impressive last-start maiden win over 2200 metres. | Karaka 2021, Book 1 | Sarai Stud, $50,000 |
| 17 | Kahma Suitsya | 3 | Promising stayer Kahma Suitsya (NZ) (Tavistock) has had nine starts to date for a win and three placings. She ran second to subsequent Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) fourth placegetter Mark Twain (NZ) (Shocking) in late December, and she scored a maiden win over 2100 metres at Hastings a month later. | ||
| 18 | Savacat | 7 | Held in high regard by Hall of Fame trainer Graeme Rogerson, Waikato Stud's homebred filly Savacat (NZ) (Savabeel) has yet to put a foot wrong in her short career. She ran third, third and second in her first three starts, then took on a strong Derby Day field at Te Rapa in her most recent appearance and was a brave fourth after an energy-sapping wide run. |