Loose Sally (NZ) Stars in NZB Southern Filly Finale

A superb performance in Saturday’s $80,000 Listed NZB Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton lifted Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) to a total of 9 points in the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series, but it wasn’t enough to reel in the series leader Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard).

Loose Sally went into the Saturday’s Southern Filly Series finale with 2 points to her name, courtesy of her third placing in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) in December. Her emphatic Warstep win added another 7 points to that tally.

But Loose Sally came up just short of Dream Of The Moon’s 11 points, and connections could be forgiven for wondering what might have been. In the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) two weeks ago, Loose Sally struck traffic trouble early in the home straight before flying home for a close fifth behind Dream Of The Moon. Saturday’s step up to 2000 metres brought a very different outcome.

Jockey Ruvanesh Muniandy had Loose Sally more handily positioned this time, and she was travelling with ease as she loomed outside the leaders at the home turn.

Muniandy pushed the button in the straight and Loose Sally powered to the front, while key Southern Filly Series rivals Dream Of The Moon and Connello (NZ) (Time Test) began to struggle in the testing Heavy10 track conditions.

Loose Sally opened up a clear lead in the final 200 metres, and despite beginning to drift around in the closing stages, she reached the finish line three-quarters of a length in front of the fast-finishing Sight To See (NZ) (Time Test) and The Boss Lady (NZ) (Vadamos).

The Warstep was the second Listed win for Loose Sally, who had previously taken out the Dunedin Guineas (1600m) in early March. She has now had a total of six starts for three wins and a placing, earning $169,495 in stakes.

“She is a big filly and the 2000 metres today was exactly what she needed,” trainer Shankar Muniandy said. “That was her last run for this prep. She will go to the paddock now and we will look after her.

“She has come such a long way in her six starts, winning three of them and picking up some valuable black type in nice races like the one today.

“I think, with some more time on her, you will see a very good stayer in the making. It is very exciting to have such a nice horse in the stable and I’m looking forward to tackling bigger and better things with her next time in.”

But the title of NZB Southern Filly of the Year – and an insurance policy from NZB Insurance to the value of $50,000 plus GST – goes to Dream Of The Moon. The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained filly won the NZB Airfreight Stakes and was runner-up in the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m).

Dream Of The Moon has also placed in the Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) and Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) in a 12-race career that has produced three wins, four placings and $166,375 in stakes for Te Akau Racing.