Llanacord (NZ) Announces Late NZB Filly of the Year Arrival in Lowland

Emerging stayer Llanacord (NZ) (Contributer) is making a late surge in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, winning Wednesday’s $100,000 Group Two Little Avondale Stud Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings to move straight into fourth on the table with 8 points. 

Bought for just $15,000 by part-owner Kevin Hopson in Book 2 of Karaka 2019, Llanacord has now earned $63,625 in stakes and added a valuable Group Two win to her pedigree page.

Racing over distances ranging from 1400 to 1800 metres, Llanacord had gone winless through her first six starts. But she often produced an eye-catching late run, picking up two thirds, a fourth, a fifth, along with a close sixth in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m).

Stepping up over more ground has been the making of the filly, with an eight-length maiden win at Wanganui on February 19 setting her up for Wednesday’s Lowland Stakes heroics.

Ridden on Wednesday by Leah Hemi, Llanacord relaxed beautifully in midfield before moving off the rail at the 500-metre mark and swooping around the outside to move into contention at the home turn.

Front-running Zee Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls) fought hard at the top of the straight, but Llanacord went into overdrive and charged past to take a clear lead.

She began to tire over the last 100 metres and had a late scare from a fast-finishing Charms Star (NZ) (Per Incanto), but Llanacord held on and just prevailed in a tight photo finish.

“It feels amazing. It’s just an incredible feeling,” trainer and part-owner Stephen Nickalls told NZ Racing Desk. “I know we are in Covid times and it is a very different world, but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm at all.

“I have got to say a big thank you to Darryl Bradley, who galloped her on Monday for me and said ‘this filly has just improved out of sight’.

“We were happy with her and she was fit and healthy. If she was good enough, she was in the right condition, and she certainly proved she was good enough.”

Wednesday’s victory delivered Llanacord her first 8 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, and she has slotted into fourth on the table behind Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel), Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Needle and Thread (Makfi).

Amarelinha and Needle and Thread will try to add to their totals in the Group Three McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie on Sunday, and then Llanacord is set for a likely clash with that pair in the Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 20. The final race in the 11-leg Filly of the Year Series, the Oaks is worth a potentially crucial 12 points to the winner.

“Leah came back in and said ‘we’ve got an Oaks filly’,” Nickalls said. “I’ve got no fears of her going the 2400 metres. Right the way through she has given us the feel of the further she goes, the better she will go.

“She hit the lead very early today, she has done what she had to do and was brave right to the line. We will go home and wrap her in cotton wool and pray for the best.”

Charms Star earned her first 4 points in the Filly of the Year Series with her second placing in the Lowland Stakes, while Canuhandleajandal (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) finished third and picked up 2 points.

As well as the valuable $54,000 prize for first, the NZB Filly of the Year Series points and an ideal stepping stone into the Oaks, Wednesday’s win was a valuable addition to Llanacord’s pedigree page. The first stakes winner for promising Mapperley Stud sire Contributer, Llanacord is out of the winning Golan mare L’Accord (NZ), whose half-sister Ad Alta (NZ) (Kenfair) won the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).

Like Llanacord, Lowland Stakes runner-up Charms Star is also a Karaka graduate. She was bought for $65,000 the Book 2 draft of Lowland Stakes sponsors Little Avondale Stud.

Vendor	Mapperley Stud
Purchaser	Mr KE Hopson (Waikato)
Breeding	Contributer – L’Accord
Sale	Lot 780, Karaka 2019 Book 2, $15,000
Bred by	Simms Davison & Mrs J C Hewitt