Keep The Peace Regains Second Spot
31 January 2010
Keep The Peace regained her second position in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series yesterday when she beat the very best of her age and sex in the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m).
The class which saw her run second in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas (1600m) was on show again for the first time since the Riccarton feature and, if anything, she seems to be back better after the freshen up.
Racing wide and back for Jason Waddell in a muddling race in terms of pace, Keep The Peace (Keeper x Piece of Mind, by Wild Rampage) appeared boldly down the outside of the field and held tough to defeat Marsh Harbour (Volksraad) and the ever-present Katie Lee who was letting down late.
Keep the Peace proved superior on the day however and the 6 points she earned in victory saw her leap-frog Adaline (Court of Jewels) in the current NZB Filly of the Year standings.
Now on 13 points her effort still saw Katie Lee extend her Filly of the Year Series lead to 17 points, but with three races to go and 47 points still on offer the lead is certainly not unassailable.
The next race in the Series is the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa on 13 February, a nice step up in distance for a stellar group of fillies aimed at the final leg of the Series, the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) on 20 March.
Keep the Peace is trained by Shaune Ritchie for owners Paul Bellingham, and Mick and Luke Dittman and she has now earned over $110,000.
Click here for the current NZB Filly of the Year leader-board.
Keeper has proved an exceptional sire for New Zealand since beginning stud duties at Cambridge Stud in 2002 with his stakes winners numbering 12 including Group 1 winners Insouciant, Keepa Cruisin, and Linky Dink.
Keeper is represented by 48 individuals at Karaka 2010 including a three-quarter brother to Group 1 Queensland Derby winner Court Ruler at Lot 413.