New Zealand 1000 Guineas a Pivotal Stop in NZB Filly of the Year Series
6 November 2025
Some of the best fillies seen on New Zealand racetracks so far this season will meet in Saturday’s $600,000 Group One Barneswood Farm 53rd New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton – a race that has previously been won by 22 subsequent NZB Filly of the Year champions.
The prestigious Christchurch classic is one of only two Group One races in the series and is worth a potentially decisive 12 points for the winner, with 7 points for second and 3.5 for third.
Victory in the 1000 Guineas has been a stepping stone to Filly of the Year glory for Tang (NZ) (Taipan), Noble Heights (NZ) (Sir Tristram), Our Flight (NZ) (Imperial Guard), Burletta (NZ) (Three Legs), Olga’s Pal (NZ) (Straight Strike), Phillipa Rush (NZ) (Prince Echo), Plume (NZ) (Crested Wave), Nimue (Star Way), Snap (NZ) (Kingdom Bay), Tartan Tights (NZ) (Tights), Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon), Taatletail (NZ) (Faltaat), Justa Tad (NZ) (Istidaad), Insouciant (NZ) (Keeper), Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed), Katie Lee (Pins), King’s Rose (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice), Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock), Platinum Witness (California Dane), Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) and Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High).
The 2025 edition of the 1000 Guineas is the fourth leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series. The top spot in the points table currently belongs to Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca), who has contested all of the first three legs and has amassed 9 points. She won the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), then ran second in the Group Three Sunline Vase (1400m) and a strong-finishing fifth in the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).
That Soliloquy Stakes unveiled a budding star of her generation as the unbeaten Well Written (Written Tycoon) blew her rivals away by six and three-quarter lengths in only the second start of her career. She has won those two races by a combined margin of just under 10 lengths, and she sits in equal second on the NZB Filly of the Year Series points table with 8 points. She shares that position with Sunline Vase winner and Soliloquy Stakes third placegetter Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma), who is being saved to take on the boys in next weekend’s Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).
The only other runner in the 1000 Guineas field with NZB Filly of the Year Series points to her name is Little Black Dress (NZ) (Snitzel), who has earned 5.5 points from finishing second in the Soliloquy Stakes and third in the Sunline Vase.
But there is plenty of other quality among the 12-filly field for this year’s 1000 Guineas. Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel), Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse), Bona Sforza (Written By) and Origin Of Love (Snitzel) are all stakes winners, while Miss Ziggy (NZ) (Brazen Beau) placed in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in January. Cream Tart (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) and Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel) both come into the biggest test of their career on the back of highly impressive victories in lower grades.
The Barneswood Farm 53rd New Zealand 1000 Guineas will be run as Race 10 on an 11-race card at Riccarton on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 4.41pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Well Written | 3 | Well Written (Written Tycoon) was the $80,000 sale-topper in the 2024 NZB National Online Yearling Sale, and she is quickly proving to be a headline act on the racetrack as well. The Stephen Marsh-trained filly was a brilliant three-length winner on debut at Ellerslie on September 20, then stepped into stakes company and blew her rivals away by six and three-quarter lengths in the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on October 18. The undefeated filly has earned $117,875 and is now part-owned by major international player Yu Long Investments. She has earned 8 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. | 2024 National Online Yearling Sale | Stephen Marsh Racing/Dylan Johnson Bloodstock, $80,000 |
| 2 | Cool Aza Rene | 12 | The first of four fillies in this year's 1000 Guineas for Te Akau Racing trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) has recorded five wins and a placing from her eight-start career to date. She won four times in five starts as a two-year-old last season, and she recaptured that winning form with a convincing last-start success in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton on October 11. | ||
| 3 | Little Black Dress | 8 | Go Racing's Little Black Dress (Snitzel) was a Listed winner as an autumn two-year-old last season. She resumed with a fourth at Taupo and a sixth in the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), then began to return to top form with a third in the Group Three Sunline Vase (1400m) and a last-start second in the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). She has earned 5.5 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. | ||
| 4 | Lollapalooza | 2 | The $30,000 that Richardson Racing Stables and Social Racing paid to buy Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) from Book 2 of Karaka 2024 has already been richly rewarded with $137,625 in stakes from a six-race career. She flew home to win the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on September 6, then was beaten by a nose when second in the Group Three Sunline Vase (1400m) at the same venue on September 20. Her last start was in the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), where she ran home in some very strong late sectionals when finishing fifth. Lollapalooza heads the NZB Filly of the Year Series table with 9 points. | Karaka 2024, Book 2 | Richardson Racing Stables/Social Racing, $30,000 |
| 5 | Miss Starlight | 6 | Bred, owned and trained by Canterbury couple John and Karen Parsons, Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) burst on the scene with wins in all of her first three starts including an outstanding performance in the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton on September 13. She was a last-start sixth in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton. She appears to be suited by the return to Riccarton, where she has never tasted defeat. | ||
| 6 | Cream Tart | 1 | Pike Racing paid $220,000 to buy Cream Tart (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) from Windsor Park Stud's draft in Book 1 of Karaka 2024. She has shown real promise in a four-start career that has produced two wins and two seconds. She won by seven and three-quarter lengths at Te Aroha in June, then resumed with a second at Rotorua before a comfortable last-start victory at Trentham on October 26. | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | Pike Racing, $220,000 |
| 7 | Bona Sforza | 5 | Visits to the South Island have proven to be highly productive for Awapuni filly Bona Sforza (Written By). She ventured to Riccarton and scored a brilliant win in last season's Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) on her raceday debut, then returned there to kick off her spring with a second in the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m). Her only start since then - and only raceday appearance in the North Island - produced a sixth at Trentham on October 26. | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | S Finnegan, $150,000 |
| 8 | Miss Ziggy | 10 | Miss Ziggy (NZ) (Brazen Beau) was a $250,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2024. The locally trained filly has turned that into $145,125 in prize-money so far, recording a win and six placings from an 11-start career. The highlight came with an outstanding third in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January. | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | AJ Carston, $250,000 |
| 9 | Belle Du Monde | 4 | Te Akau Racing's $400,000 purchase Belle Du Monde (Zoustar) placed in two of her three starts as a two-year-old last season, then resumed with a smart victory over 1000 metres at Riccarton in late August. Since then, she has run seventh in the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) and a close fourth in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m). | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | DC Ellis, $400,000 |
| 10 | Origin Of Love | 7 | Origin Of Love (Snitzel) has made a favourable impression in her four-start career, which began with a third placing over 1200 metres at Timaru on September 7. She has won two of her three starts since then, including a last-start Group Three victory in the War Decree Stakes (1600m) over the same course and distance as Saturday's 1000 Guineas. | ||
| 11 | Belle Cheval | 9 | Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel) finds herself in Group One company less than a month after her debut. She launched her career with a third placing over 1300 metres at Taupo on October 10, then left maiden grades with a super-impressive victory by two and a half lengths over 1400 metres at Ellerslie on October 25. Belle Cheval is well-related, being a half-sister to multiple Group One winner (The) Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) and closely related to (King) Mufhasa (NZ) (Pentire) and Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park), and it appears she has inherited some of that family ability. | ||
| 12 | Savvy Donna | 11 | Savvy Donna (NZ) (Savabeel) is still a maiden but clearly has the potential to be a lot better than that. After finishing third and second in her first two starts, she took on the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and finished fourth with some of the fastest closing sectionals in the race. |