Miss Selby (NZ) Moves into Contention for Fillies Series

The talented three-year-old filly Miss Selby (NZ) (O’Reilly) is in prime position to challenge for the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year crown with a dominant win in the Group 3 $70,000 The Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings on Saturday.

Miss Selby (NZ) winning the Group 3 The Little Avondale Lowland Stakes at Hastings.

Trained at Hastings by John Bary, Miss Selby earned 6 points with Saturday’s win, adding to the 6 points she had already collected in the Series. She now sits on 12 points and within striking distance of the leader Costa Viva (Encosta de Lago) on 20.5 with one race to go in the Series.

The final leg of the Series is the Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks on 15 March, a race Miss Selby is the early favourite for. The 12 points awarded to the winner of that race would be enough to see Miss Selby claim the Filly of the Year title.

The daughter of O’Reilly enjoyed an economical run behind the leaders for rider Jonathan Riddell. As the field turned for home the leader rolled off the rail presenting a passage to Miss Selby that she burst through and dashed away to a dominant victory by 1.3 lengths over Miss Mossman (NZ) (Mossman) with Far Fetched (NZ) (Pins) in third.

“She is all class, we have always rated her highly,” stated Bary. “The Oaks has always been the main aim, that is why we have raced her lightly on the way through and hopefully she will be peaking in two weeks’ time.

“Her breeding tells me she will just eat 2400m, she is a naturally fit, wirey, hard filly. She possesses a good turn of foot that top line horses need, especially stayers, and she has got it.

“I have never really worried about the Filly of the Year Series, but if it happens it is a nice bonus for the owners. For me it is about winning a Group 1, that’s what I’m paid to do. If I do my job and she wins the Oaks then she will win it and everyone wins.”

Saturday’s victory was the second in Miss Selby’s consistent career that has seen her never finish outside of the top three placings. She has earned $79,660 in prizemoney for her owners Ask Partnership.

Bred by G E S Lowe, Miss Selby is out of Group 2 Waikato Cup winning mare Singing Star (Danasinga), a half-sister to Yeah Nah, the dam of dual Group 1 winner Viadana (Towkay). Miss Selby becomes the 71st stakes winner for Waikato Stud sire O’Reilly, last season’s Champion Sire in New Zealand.

The Filly of the Year Leaderboard is still headed by Costa Viva on 20.5 points with Hera (NZ) (O’Reilly) second on 16 points ahead of Bounding (Lonhro) in third on 13 points. Miss Selby has climbed up to fourth with 12 points just ahead of Spellbinder (NZ) (O’Reilly) on 11.5 points. The Series culminates on 15 March with the running of the Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks.