Katie Lee Marches On

New Zealand's leading three-year-old, Karaka graduate Katie Lee, continues on her march towards claiming the 2009/10 New Zealand Bloodstock 'Filly of the Year' crown when she contests the Group 3 Ezibuy Eulogy Stakes at Manawatu on Saturday.

With 13.5 points accrued in the Series already, after victory in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas and a third placing in the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes, the Sir Patrick Hogan owned Katie Lee (Pins x Miss Jessie Jay, by Spectacularphantom) is hoping to cement her spot at the top with six points on offer to the winner on Saturday.

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�Katie Lee wins the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton

The past two seasons have seen the NZB Filly of the Year title awarded to winners of the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas, with Daffodil and Insouciant, and Katie Lee looks a strong chance of making it three, especially considering her class has taken her to record breaking heights in New Zealand when she beat the boys in the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas a week before claiming the fillies' equivalent.

The Group 3 Ezibuy Eulogy (1600m) is the fourth of ten races in the Filly of the Year Series, and a full field of sixteen contestants will partake in the Manawatu feature, none perturbed by the fact that the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson trained grey sits 15 rating points above anything else in the field.

Amongst the competition are some very promising types including Pencarrow Stud's Our Ella Belle (Encosta De Lago x Kirin Belle, by McGinty) who is in the hands of New Zealand's leading trainer-jockey combination in Mark Walker and James McDonald.

Third behind Katie Lee in the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas at just her fourth start, Our Ella Belle struck traffic problems when looking for runs at Riccarton. From barrier two on Saturday she will need luck as she likes to settle off the pace, but expect a whirlwind finish.

Kevin Gray's Gofonze (Golan x Elfonze, by Krasnapolski) finished fourth in the same Group 1 event after sitting close to the pace and, given the fact she puts herself in the race, she will be amongst the front-runners whom Katie Lee and Our Ella Belle will need to chase hard to catch.

Seven up and coming last start winners start in their first Group race on Saturday, headed by the Roger James and Paul Mirabelli trained duo of Veronica Franco (Johar x Crystal Hailey, by Greinton) and Pearl Dancer (Danehill Dancer x Kaapture the Heart, by Kaapstad).

Veronica Franco has impressed winning her last two on end including a Rating 70 mile event last start at Ellerslie against well-performed older horses. Chad Ormsby should have plenty of time to find cover from the seven draw, with the filly likely to be hard on the back of the leaders turning for home.

Pearl Dancer is super consistent and capped off placings with a strong two length maiden win at Te Aroha over a mile last start. Drawn 15 she is likely to drop back in the hands of Hayden Tinsley.

Wayne and Vanessa Hillis look to have another good Volksraad on their hands with Marsh Harbour (Volksraad x Pasithea, by Crested Wave) who has won two races in just three outings. Saturday will be her first test at a mile and Reese Jones will steer the filly from 13.

La Marina (Golan x In the Vain, by Vain) for Janelle Caskey joins Katie Lee as the only two runners in the field eligible for the $200,000 Karaka 3YO Mile at Ellerslie on 31 January, the eve of the Karaka Premier Sale. The daughter of Golan won at a mile last start and in doing so beat Loose Lover (Towkay x Tycoon Lover, by Swain) who will also contest the Eulogy.

Not to be dismissed, the Evan and JJ Rayner trained Loose Lover, who had defeated La Marina at their previous start, got a win on the board at her very next start and Jonathan Parkes takes the mount on Saturday.

The Robert Patterson trained Topario (Captain Rio x Lady Topaz, by Imperial Seal) won over a mile on a heavy track in October and backed that victory up with a win two starts later over 1400m on a dead track at Wellington.

Monachee (O'Reilly x Kincia, by Kinjite) improves with each race for trainer Allan Sharrock and her victory last start capped off her development. She is yet to race over 1200m but has had a month off so no doubt her astute trainer would have been doing the miles with the filly at home.

Mike Breslin's Surf Patrol (Towkay x Out on Bail, by Justice Prevails) gives her sire two runners in the event and she has the second equal most wins of any filly in the race with two victories earlier in her career. Racing in good company throughout, Surf Patrol offers value from barrier three with Rosie Myers aboard.

Other winning fillies in the field include John Wheeler's La Vie En Rose (Elusive City x Stonecrest, by Soviet Star), Garry and Steven Barlow's Huhu Lass (King's Chapel x River Chant, by Danasinga), and Gerald Innes' Hoochie Cat (One Cool Cat x Our Charmer, by Jetball).

Fillies owned by two of Australasia's largest studs make up the remainder of the field as lightly tried, promising individuals who are yet to win but will enjoy the step up in distance to a mile.

These are Patinack Farm's Adulterer (Traditionally x It's My Sin, by Success Express), trained by Roger James and Paul Mirabelli, and Waikato Stud's Promenade (Savabeel x River Century, by Centaine), a half-sister to Legs and Guyno trained by Kevin Gray.

The $70,000 Group 3 Ezibuy Eulogy Stakes is set to get underway at 3.40pm (NZ time) at Manawatu on Saturday on a track currently rated a Good 3.

Click here for the current standings in the 2009/10 NZB Filly of the Year Series.