G2 Eight Carat a Cracking Contest

The fifth leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's Filly of the Year Series, the $100,000 Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m), is shaping up as an outstanding contest with a number of the country's leading fillies set to contest the race.

To be held at Ellerslie's famed Boxing Day Races, the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic is the first of two New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year races to be held over the Christmas/New Year period. The Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes (2000m) will be held six days later, at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

Currently leading the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series with 12 points is the Peter and Dawn Williams trained Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock x Akris) who will line up on Boxing Day. A winner of the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas at her last start, she ran third in a recent trial at Te Aroha.

Planet Rock is proven over the mile at Group 1 level and according to her trainers will only get better with longer trips. The daughter of Fastnet Rock is currently also in third place, and is the highest rated filly, on the Order of Entry for the Karaka 3YO Mile (Res.L) on 29 January.

The highest rated filly in Saturday's field is Dowager Queen (Savabeel x Dower) who was highly competitive against some of the best fillies in Australia earlier this season, including running a strong second in the Group 1 VRC Oaks. Trained by Graeme and Debbie Rogerson, she ran out of the placings in her last start in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes but is more than capable of adding the race to her black-type record.

Graeme and Debbie Rogerson will also saddle Abeautifulred (Handsome Ransom x You Beauty) with Sam Spratt aboard from the ace draw. She ran a brilliant second in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas in just her third race day appearance taking seven points and second place in the Series. She fought hard in her last start when running fourth in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes and Monday's race will see a rematch with her rival Planet Rock who only just beat her in the Guineas.

NZB Filly of the Year Series leader Planet Rock wins the G1 NZB 1000 Guineas

A highly consistent filly that always produces an honest effort, Testa Secret (Testa Rossa x Acacian Secret) is currently in fifth place in the Filly of the Year Series with six points. The Kevin Gray trained filly has run places in the Listed Fillies Stakes, Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes and Group 3 Eulogy Stakes at her last start and is well placed in the field. She has drawn 11 with James McDonald taking the mount for the first time.

The filly currently heading the betting is the Ken and Bev Kelso trained Xanadu (Elusive City x Forest Dream) who is unbeaten in three starts, her last coming at Ellerslie in an impressive performance over a mile on 3 December. She faces a big step up in class in the Group 2 but faces no trouble with the distance for Craig Grylls.

Very much in the same boat, Purpose (ex Vivane) is by the hot sire Falkirk and comes into the race off back-to-back victories. A winner of three of her five starts for trainer Richard Collett, she also faces a big ask leaping to Group 2 level, but is another to keep a sharp eye on.

Roger James will saddle three runners in the race including Holy Moly (Holy Roman Emperor x Clarissa) who won the second leg of the Filly of the Year Series, the Listed Soliloquy Stakes, giving her four points in the Series. She comes into the race having run second to Burgundy (Redoute's Choice) in a trial at Cambridge last week.

From the same stable, Roger James will also saddle Full of Spirit (Flying Spur x Imposingly) and Silent Achiever (O'Reilly x Winning Spree). Both lightly raced, they each come into the Group 2 with impressive wins under their belts, while Full of Spirit has to contend with a tricky draw from gate 17.

The Darci Brahma filly Artistic (ex Artless) from Shaune Ritchie's stable comes into the Group 2 from a short break after her good fourth in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas. She was very impressive when winning the Listed Bonecrusher Stakes against the boys earlier in the season and is another that is well placed in this highly competitive field.

The Louise Saunders trained Melody Celebre (Castledale x Right On Time), and White Lies (Postponed x Miss Smugg) from Stephen Marsh's yard, both come into the race off last start wins in Rating 65 events at Ellerslie and Pukekura respectively.

New Zealand's champion sire Volksraad will have two runners in the race with Paul Shailer's last start winner Mapmaker (ex Straight Eight) who will have the services of Australian jockey Nash Rawiller, and Blooming Hell (ex Our Prized Rose), for trainer Richard Sherwin, who won over 1230 metres two starts ago at Arawa Park.

Unbelieveabelle (Handsome Ransom x Shona Indre) has been competitive in the Filly of the Year Series so far running fifth in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas. Trained by Stephen Crutchley, she had a tough trip in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes after being caught well back in transit but was a winner prior to that at Woodville over 1200 metres in late October.

Another runner for Falkirk, Rose of Falkirk (ex Class Jewel) showed she has ability when putting in a solid performance two starts ago to win at Ellerslie for trainer Mark Brosnan in a Rating 70 1200m event. The Mark Mullane trained Alley Cat (Storm Creek x Countess Zoya) rounds off the field and comes into the Group 2 a maiden after five raceday starts.

The winner of the $100,000 Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) will receive 8 points in New Zealand Bloodstock's Filly of the Year Series, with second place taking 4 points and third 2 points.

To view the current points table and race schedule for the Filly of the Year Series, click here. The Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic will be held at Ellerslie on December 26 at 4.47pm NZ time. To view the field, click here.