Leica Lucy (NZ) Announces Arrival in NZB Filly of the Year Series

New Plymouth trainer Robbie Patterson unveiled an exciting NZB Filly of the Year Series contender when Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) dominated Saturday’s $100,000 Group Three Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham in only the third start of her career.

Those three appearances have now produced two wins, a placing and $79,885 in stakes for owner-breeders Heather and Peter Crofskey. Leica Lucy earned 6 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series from Saturday’s win, which puts her straight into third on the points table.

Leica Lucy began her career with a stylish maiden win over 1400 metres on November 6, then ran second over the same distance at Trentham on December 7. Patterson always believed getting up over longer distances would be the making of the promising filly, and she proved that point in Saturday’s Eulogy.

Leica Lucy and jockey Craig Grylls settled in midfield before bursting to the lead with a smart turn of foot in the straight. Leica Lucy powered clear of her nine opponents, opening up a winning margin of two and a half lengths over the placegetters Connello (NZ) (Time Test) and Skymax (NZ) (Ferrando).

“I knew she had that in her, but you never get too confident until they do it on raceday,” Patterson said. “This is great for Peter and Heather Crofskey, who put a lot into the game and are great friends of mine.

“She was off the bit all the way and went through a flat patch at the 600 metres, but she is an out and out stayer. I just have to work back from the Oaks (Group One, 2400m) and go from there.

“She will have 10 days in the paddock now then come back for the Desert Gold Stakes (Group Three, 1600m) and then to the Oaks.”

The Desert Gold Stakes will be run at Trentham on January 18 and is also worth 6 points to the winner in the race for NZB Filly of the Year Series honours. The Oaks, which is the grand finale of the series and will be run at Trentham on March 22, carries a potentially decisive 12 points for the winner.

Grylls has no doubt that Leica Lucy will continue to improve.

“Her first two starts indicated that a longer trip was going to suit her,” he said. “Going up to the mile today, she was actually quite relaxed and switched off, but when I clicked her up she came up underneath me. While she did a couple of things wrong, she has got the ability there. She is very progressive.”

Leica Lucy became the fourth individual stakes winner for Grangewilliam Stud stallion Derryn, who is also the sire of Spencer (NZ), Antipodean (NZ) and Sophmaze (NZ). Derryn will feature at Karaka 2025 with one yearling in Book 1 and 11 in Book 2.

The NZB Filly of the Year Series table is still headed by the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) winner Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) with 21 points, while her Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) conqueror Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) is second with 15.

Leica Lucy is now third with 6, followed by Kitty Flash (NZ) (Ace High) with 4 and Movin’ Out (NZ) (Staphanos) with 3.5.

Saturday’s runner-up Connello earned 3 points, while the third-placed Skymax picked up 1.5.

The NZB Filly of the Year Series now relocates to Ellerslie, with the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day and the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) on New Year’s Day. Both of those races are worth 8 points to the winner, 4 for second and 2 for third.