Irlanda Ignites Awapuni

Irlanda (O'Reilly x Cenphic) proved a class above in the Group 3 Ezibuy Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Awapuni on Saturday with a decisive two length win.

With just four starts under her belt, the Lance Noble trained filly was guided to her third win by Bruce Herd.

Raced by Alan and Rob Burnet and Alan and Colleen Jackson, Irlanda now has six New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year points and sits in third equal position with Naturo (Postponed x Rubiton's Best), behind Dorabella (Postponed x Caserio) on 12 and Princess Coup (Encosta de Lago x Stoneyfell Road) on seven. Taatyana (Faltaat x Clear Advantage) and Sitting on a Hill (City on a Hill x Ivy Darling) rounded off the placings and now have three and one-point-five Filly of the Year points respectively.

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�Irlanda (O'Reilly x Cenphic) winning the Group 3 Ezibuy Eulogy Stakes.

Waikato Stud sold the home-bred filly at the 2005 Karaka Select Yearling Sale for NZ$38,000 to the bid of the New South Wales based Broadway Partnership. By the Stud's sire son of Last Tycoon, O'Reilly, Irlanda joins the likes of successful Group one winning fillies Final Destination, The Jewel and more recently Group 3 winners Splashing Out and Bashful.

The Irlanda mating is another example of the successful O'Reilly - Centaine cross, which has produced five stakes winners. Entered in the up-coming National Yearling Sales Series are 15 colts and 12 fillies by O'Reilly with nine of these being out of Centaine mares.

Favourite Porotene Gem, by another Waikato Stud sire in Pins, was scratched after showing an elevated temperature but remains to be tipped as a big chance in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks in March.

The next race in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series is the NZ$100,000 Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m)�on Boxing Day at Ellerslie.

Click here for more information on the NZB Filly of the Year Series or contact Haylie Martin: haylie@nzb.co.nz�