NZB Filly of the Year Rounds out with Quality Group One Oaks Field
20 March 2025
Saturday’s $1m Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham will be the 11th and final leg of an NZB Filly of the Year Series that has been completely dominated by Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn).
The Oaks would be Leica Lucy’s fifth win of the series and lift her to 40 points. Only two fillies in the last two decades have bettered that – Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) with 44.5 points in 2019-20, and Justa Tad (NZ) (Istidaad) with 42 in 2004-05. In the last four seasons, the winning scores have been 28, 25, 31 and 34 points.
Leica Lucy is trained by Robbie Patterson for her owner-breeders Heather and Peter Crofskey, who share ownership with Australian investor Ozzie Kheir. First and second in her first two starts in the spring, Leica Lucy has since been unbeaten in four increasingly impressive appearances in the NZB Filly of the Year Series – the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m).
The daughter of Grangewilliam Stud stallion Derryn has towered over her contemporaries over the last four months, and that is widely expected to continue on Saturday with the TAB rating her a $1.45 favourite for the Oaks.
But there are 14 other fillies lining up for their shot at Group One glory in the Oaks, which has doubled its stake from $500,000 to $1m this year.
Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) goes into the race as a last-start winner of the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie, which lifted her total to 8 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series.
Connello (NZ) (Time Test) and Myakkabelle (NZ) (War Decree) have both been multiple placegetters through the series, each of them earning 6 points along the way.
This Time Girl (NZ) (Contributer), Eye Candy (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Dubai Gold (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) are all last-start stakes placegetters. This Time Girl and Eye Candy finished second and third in the Sunline Vase, earning 3 points and 1.5 points respectively, while Dubai Gold picked up 2 points from a strong-finishing third in the Lowland Stakes.
Skymax (NZ) (Fernando), Thrilling (NZ) (Shocking), Alaskan (NZ) (Niagara), Mid Ocean (NZ) (Ocean Park), Piccolino (NZ) (Proisir), Wyndsong (NZ) (Wyndspelle), Lady Diva (NZ) (Eminent), and Girl Talk (NZ) (Zed), make up the rest of the quality field, all with strong contentions of taking the spoils on the day.
The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks will be run as Race 8 at Trentham on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 4.36pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leica Lucy | 1 | Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) has been undefeated and dominant in her four NZB Filly of the Year Series appearances, earning 28 points from her victories in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m) and Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). She is already guaranteed the title of NZB Filly of the Year. One more victory in the Oaks would be a fitting finale and would make her only the third filly in the last two decades to crack 40 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. | ||
| 2 | Island Life | 4 | Pencarrow Stud homebred Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) has earned 8 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. She was a third placegetter in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day, then returned there on Champions Day on March 8 and scored an emphatic victory in the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). | ||
| 3 | Connello | 2 | Since scoring back-to-back wins in October, Connello (NZ) (Time Test) has been a consistent performer in stakes company. She ran fifth in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and sixth in the Listed O'Learys Fillies' Stakes (1340m), then chased home Leica Lucy for second placings in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m). She was a last-start seventh in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). Connello has earned 6 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. She has turned her $10,000 purchase price as a weanling into more than $150,000 in stakes. | 2022 National Weanling Sale | DK Woodhouse, $10,000 |
| 4 | Myakkabelle | 10 | Myakkabelle (NZ) (War Decree) was a $55,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2023. She has banked more than $108,000 from a 10-race career so far, winning twice and placing on another five occasions. Myakkabelle has finished fifth in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m), fourth in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m), third in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m) and a last-start second in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). Myakkabelle has earned 6 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. | Karaka 2023, Book 1 | Brewers Bloodstock, $55,000 |
| 5 | This Time Girl | 9 | Bought for just $10,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2023, This Time Girl (NZ) (Contributer) has had five starts for a win, a second, a third, two fifths and $71,695 in stakes. She has earned valuable black type in her last two starts, finishing third in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) and second in this month's Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). This Time Girl has earned 3 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. | Karaka 2023, Book 2 | Phill Cataldo Bloodstock, $10,000 |
| 6 | Eye Candy | 13 | Eye Candy (NZ) (Darci Brahma) is a three-quarter-sister to the stakes winner Spine Tingle (NZ) (Super Easy). Eye Candy was a convincing all-the-way winner of a 1600-metre maiden race at Ruakaka in December, then didn't have all favours in her first shot at stakes level in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m). She improved sharply for a second in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m), then finished third after setting a slow pace in the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). She has earned 1.5 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. | ||
| 7 | Dubai Gold | 11 | Pride Of Dubai filly Dubai Gold (NZ) was a $110,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2023 by Ballymore Stables, Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman. She showed promise with a second, two thirds and a fourth from her first six starts, then turned a corner in February. A stylish maiden win over 1600 metres at Te Aroha earned her a shot at the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m), where she finished strongly for third and earned 2 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. | Karaka 2023, Book 1 | Ballymore Stables/Paul Moroney Bloodstock/Catheryne Bruggeman, $110,000 |
| 8 | Skymax | 12 | Skymax (NZ) (Ferrando) has been admirably consistent in black-type company all season, finishing sixth in the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), sixth in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), third in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), sixth in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m), fifth in the Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), fifth in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m), fourth in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m) and fifth in the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). She has earned 1.5 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. | ||
| 9 | Thrilling | 5 | One of the biggest longshots in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m) at odds of $58, Thrilling (NZ) (Shocking) defied those low expectations with a powerful finish for fourth. Although she is still a maiden, she has shown promise with a third, two fourths and a fifth from her five starts to date. Her trainer Lisa Latta is a two-time Oaks winner. | ||
| 10 | Alaskan | 7 | The Oaks Stud's homebred filly Alaskan (NZ) (Niagara) finished seventh on debut over 1600 metres, then stepped up in distance for a third over 2100 metres, an impressive win over 2100 metres, and a strong-finishing fifth in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m). Her most recent start produced a ninth placing in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). | ||
| 11 | Mid Ocean | 15 | Bred and part-owned by the Duchess of Bedford, the well-related filly Mid Ocean (NZ) is by Ocean Park (NZ) out of a half-sister to the multiple Group One winner and outstanding sire Tavistock (NZ). Mid Ocean was a winner over 1200 metres on debut in December, then finished third and ninth in two starts over 1400 metres. Her most recent start produced a big finish for second against older horses over 2000 metres at Matamata. | ||
| 12 | Piccolino | 3 | Piccolino (NZ) (Proisir) has had only three starts in her career so far. She won on debut at Otaki in early January, then finished seventh in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m). She was an eye-catching runner in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m), where she was a distant last for a large part of the race before making up plenty of ground to finish sixth. | ||
| 13 | Wyndsong | 6 | Wyndsong (NZ) (Wyndspelle) made a good impression with a maiden victory over 1600 metres at Ellerslie on February 1. She then joined the NZB Filly of the Year Series, finishing sixth in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m) and fourth in the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). | 2022 National Weanling Sale | Phill Cataldo Bloodstock/Global Bloodstock, $15,000 |
| 14 | Lady Diva | 8 | Riverton visitor Lady Diva (NZ) (Eminent) has had nine starts for one win, one second, two thirds, a fourth and a a fifth. The Oaks will be her first start beyond 1600 metres. | ||
| 15 | Girl Talk | 14 | Girl Talk (NZ) (Zed) stuck on fairly for fifth in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m) last start. She has had five starts for two seconds and two fifths. |