Journey to Find NZ's Top 3YO Filly Commences
21 September 2006
The journey to find the next New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year starts again this Saturday at Hastings with the running of first leg of the prestigious Series: the $70,000 Group 3 Highview Stakes (1200m).
With the ultimate Filly of the Year Series winner set to take home $25,000 in bonus cheques, the Series is sure to be hotly contested by the country's leading three-year-old fillies. The Series-winning owner will receive $15,000 from New Zealand Bloodstock, with the winning breeder and trainer pocketing $5,000 apiece. The winning filly also enhances her value as a breeding prospect.
Last year's winner was the tenacious Shikoba (Chief Bearhart x Summary), who inherited her crown from Justa Tad (Istidaad x Infinity), and joined the likes of Savannah Success, Alacrity, Solveig, Phillipa Rush, Noble Heights, La Mer, Mop and Tang as winners of this prestigious title.
Saturday's race will see a small but talented field of eight contesting the increased purse, from $50,000 to $70,000 this year. Heading the line-up are three of last season's stand-out juvenile fillies in Naturo (Postponed x Rubiton's Best), Chartreuse (St Petersburg x Imzadi) and Italia (Stravinsky x Capote Crossing).
John Sargent and Opie Bosson team up with the imposing Naturo (Postponed x Rubiton's Best) with a view to getting some early points on the board. Owned and bred by Andrew and Dionne McLachlan and family, Naturo took out the Group 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes (1200m) and was a credible fourth in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) behind Champion 2YO, Jokers Wild (Black Minnaloushe x Miss Rory), recent Group 3 VRC Danehill Stakes winner The One (O'Reilly x The Grin) and Habana (Danasinga x Kohinoor).
Despite being fresh up, McLachlan reports that Naturo is forward enough in her training for the team to expect a big run from their prized filly.
From the Graeme Rogerson and Stephen Autridge stable, the Peter and Philip Vela-bred Chartreuse is set to line-up on Saturday. With just four starts to her credit, Chartreuse has notched up three Listed race victories: the Cambridge JC New Zealand Bloodstock 2YO Fillies Stakes, the Foxton RC Castleton Stakes and the Wanganui JC Racehorse Owners Association Stakes on September 10. Guided each time by Michael Walker, he is booked to take the reins again on Saturday.
Of the eight in the field, Chartreuse is one of seven who were offered for sale by New Zealand Bloodstock and was picked out as a yearling by part-owner, Lynley Autridge, at the 2005 Karaka Festival Sale for NZ$3,500.
Last year's winner of the New Zealand Bloodstock $500,000 2YO Classique (1200m) as well as the Group 2 WRC Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1200m), Italia (Stravinsky x Capote Crossing), completes the list of stakes winners in the field. Her last start resulted in a sixth to Chartreuse in Wanganui when fresh up.
Sold by Trelawney Stud on behalf of breeder David Paykel at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale, Italia fetched NZ$60,000 to the bid of her trainers, Shane Kennedy and Ricky Carston.
Rounding off the field are:
- Showing talent last season, Blue Skies (Spectatorial x Blue Reality), was an impressive winner at two, with three other seconds from her five starts. The first winner for her sire, Spectatorial, she was bought by Corallie Eagle at the 2005 Karaka Festival Sale for NZ$40,000 from Hallmark Stud and represents the new Mike Moroney & Dean Melton partnership on Saturday.
- The most seasoned runner is Graeme Nicholson's, Shortblackmini (Black Minnaloushe x Miss Opera). Racing in some tough company throughout her short career, her last start was when resuming at Hastings on 2 September in the Hawkeye 3YO Handicap (1200m). Finishing back in the field, the race was taken out by Jokers Wild ahead of Mon Reve (Stravinsky x Almaz) and Don Garcia (Danehill x Beyond the Sunset).
- John Wheeler's NZ$30,000 purchase from Windsor Park Stud at the 2003 Karaka Festival Sale, Castlebar (Volksraad x Search) is a four-time starter with a win in the WRC Capital City Ford 2YO Handicap (1200m) and second placing to her credit.
- The Kevin Gray-trained Protene Gem (Pins x Rubyfoo) will be having her third run this month after a fourth on debut and then winning her maiden at Otaki on September 14. Owners Mr & Mrs Kent Broughton of Stratford purchased Protene Gem at the 2004 National Weanling Sale for NZ$5,000 from Delph Common.
- Magic Tryst (Magic Ring x Our Tristajet), from Craig Ritchie's Pukekohe Park team, recently broke maiden ranks in what was her second start.
2006/2007 Filly of the Year Race Schedule
| Date | Race Name | Distance | Race Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sept 23, 2006 | $70,000 Gr. 3 Highview Stakes | 1200m | Hawkes Bay Racing Inc |
| Sat,�Sept 30, 2006 | $50,000 Listed Soliloquy Stakes | 1400m | Auckland Racing Club |
| Sat, Nov 11, 2006 | $275,000 Gr. 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas | 1600m | Canterbury Jockey Club |
| Sat, Dec 16, 2006 | $75,000 Gr. 3 Ezibuy Eulogy Stakes | 1600m | Manawatu Racing Club |
| Tues, Dec 26, 2006 | $100,000 Gr. 2 Eight Carat Classic | 1600m | Auckland Racing Club |
| Mon, Jan 1, 2007 | $100,000 Gr. 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes | 2000m | Auckland Racing Club |
| Sat, Jan 27, 2007 | $70,000 Gr. 3 Desert Gold Stakes | 1600m | Wellington Racing Club |
| Sat, Feb 10, 2007 | $100,000 Gr. 2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic | 2000m | Waikato Racing Club |
| Sat, Mar 3, 2007 | $70,000 Gr. 3 Lowland Stakes | 2100m | Masterton Racing Club |
| Sat, Mar 17, 2007 | $300,000 Gr. 1 New Zealand Oaks | 2400m | Wellington Racing Club |
Dates and details may be subject to change.
Points Available
| Grp.1 | Grp.2 | Grp.3 | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First - 12 | First - 8 | First - 6 | First - 4 |
| Second - 7 | Second - 4 | Second - 3 | Second - 2 |
| Third - 3.5 | Third - 2 | Third - 1.5 | Third - 1 |