G1 NZ Oaks Set to Crown Filly of the Year
12 March 2015
The New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year winner will be determined on Saturday with the running of the Group 1 $300,000 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham.
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Saavoya (NZ) winner of the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic. |
Top of the NZB Filly of the Year Series is Saavoya (NZ) (Savabeel) who has earned 23 points. Platinum Witness (California Dane) is almost on par with Saavoya, sitting on 22.5 points and Vavasour (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) is in third place with 12 points. With Vavasour not contesting this weekend’s final leg, only Saavoya and Platinum Witness can win the crown.
The winner of the Group 1 feature race will earn 12 points towards the Series, second place receives 7 points and third place receives 3.5 points.
Lined up to head the field is Another Coup (NZ) (Darci Brahma), trained by Michael and Matthew Pitman. Winning her last three starts, including the Listed Dunedin Guineas, she has won a total of five races from her 11 starts. Starting from barrier 7, Matthew Cameron will ride Another Coup.
Second on the leaderboard, Platinum Witness has won three legs of the Series, including the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas and the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes, held at Trentham. Trained by Lisa Latta, she will once again be ridden by Darryl Bradley from barrier 3.
Winning over 2100m last start, Savaria (NZ) (Savabeel) finished first equal with rival Platinum Witness in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes. Trained by Roydon Bergerson, Savaria has won two of her five starts and will be looking to add to her collection of points with rider Hayden Tinsley from barrier 1.
Making the trip to Trentham on Saturday is Thee Auld Floozie (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) after earning her first points in the Series, winning the Group 3 Sunline Vase last start. The Mastercraftsman filly now has four wins from nine starts for trainer Stephen Marsh.
"Her last run was really good, she won that race at New Plymouth really well and won the Sunline great.” commented Marsh. “I think the step up to 2400m is going to be no problem. She just had her final gallop this morning (Wednesday), her work was really good, she pulled up good so we are going into the race pretty confident.”
Thee Auld Floozie will be start from barrier 10 on Saturday with Danielle Johnson taking the ride.
Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have two fillies contesting Saturday’s race, Saavoya and Charmont (High Chaparral). Saavoya leads the filly Series after winning the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic and the Group 2 NZB Royal Stakes. Craig Grylls is engaged to ride her from barrier 4.
“She is spot on, she’s fit and seasoned and she’s just got to stay the distance,” commented Baker. “She got home well at Christmas (over 2000m) at Ellerslie and we might just ride her back a bit more on Saturday. “
Winner of one race, Charmont finished third in her last three starts, all at stakes level. Regular rider Opie Bosson will ride the High Chaparral filly from barrier 6 with Baker confident she will see out the 2400m trip.
“There’s not much between them [Charmont and Saavoya], she is very well bred and we think she will get the trip,” said Baker.
South Island filly Belle Miraaj (NZ) (Iffraaj) is a seasoned stakes performer with two wins at Listed level and a further two places, including running third in the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas. Trained by Gay Robinson, the Iffraaj filly will begin from barrier 2 with Vinnie Colgan riding.
The Paul and Kris Shailer trained Dream Run (NZ) (Pins) won on debut as a two-year-old and claimed her second win two starts ago over a mile. Dream Run will start from barrier 13 with Kelly Myers aboard.
Having her first run in the Series is Bel Sorriso (NZ) (Keeper), winner of three races from her seven starts. The Keeper filly won her last start over 2100m for trainer Grant Searle. Johnathon Parkes takes the ride, starting from barrier 8.
Lucky Unicorn filly Exquisite Jewel (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn) has entered the winners circle three times from her 11 runs. Exquisite Jewel previously ran third in the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes and will begin from barrier 11 with jockey Robert Hannam for trainers Sue Walsh and Bruce Gregory.
A Winner of two races, Consensus (NZ) (Postponed), finished fourth at her last start in the Group 3 Sunline Vase over 2100m and has placed in a further three races from her 13 starts. Rosie Myers continues to ride her and will start from barrier 12 for trainer Leo Molloy.
Breaking maiden status two starts ago was Gin Swing (NZ) (Keeper) from Tony Pike’s stable. Gin Swing’s last start was in the Group 3 Sunline Vase where she raced wide early in the race before making a mid-race move to be handy. She finished fourth that day but was relegated to fifth having caused interference.
“She’s a 40-1 chance but her work yesterday (Tuesday) was very, very good, she’ll see out the 2400m and she’s in with a rough chance,” said Pike. The Keeper filly will start Saturday’s race from barrier 14 with Rory Hutchings aboard.
Last start winner Mary Quant (NZ) (O’Reilly) broke her maiden status last start over 2000m for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott. Running in seven races, she has finished second in four of them and will start from barrier 5 with Lisa Allpress riding.
The second runner for Stephen Marsh, Stars In Align (NZ) (Align) has placed in five races from her nine starts, including one win. She will be ridden by Mark Du Plessis on Saturday from barrier 9.
“I think her runs have been pretty good, the races just haven’t really been run to suit her but I think she will be strong at the 2400m,” said Marsh.
Closing the field is Tasha Aimee (Pins) who enters the race as a maiden. Tasha Aimee is an experienced filly at a staying distance that has placed in two of her eight starts. Shannon Doyle will ride the Pins filly from barrier 15 for trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson.
Saturday’s Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks is also the final leg of the new Wellfield Lodge Triple Crown Series. The first two races in the Series were the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes and the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes, which were won by Choice (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) and Platinum Witness.
The connections of the filly that accumulates the most points in the Series will receive a service to Alamosa and the second placed filly will receive a service to Road to Rock, both Wellfield Lodge stallions.
The winner of the Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks will receive six points towards the Series, second place will earn four points third place earns two points.
Attention Seeker (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous) leads the Wellfield Lodge Trip Crown Series on four points, Choice and Platinum Witness sit second equal on three points and Palace Rock (NZ) (Fastnet Rock) and Exquisite Jewel each have one point.
To view the full field for the NZB Filly of the Year Series, click here.
For more information on the NZB Filly of the Year Series, or to view the Leaderboard, click here.