Newcomers Set for Filly of the Year Impact
10 December 2020
Saturday’s $70,000 Group Three LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Awapuni gives a new wave of talented fillies the chance to make an impact in the 2020-21 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.
With three legs run and won, the table is headed by Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma) on 15 points, with Miss Tycoon Rose (Written Tycoon) in second spot with 7 points. Miss Aotearoa (NZ) (Per Incanto) and De La Terre (NZ) (Reliable Man) share third place with 6 points apiece.
None of the fillies in Saturday’s Eulogy Stakes field have Filly of the Year Series points to their name, but the race is worth 6 points to the winner, with 3 points for second and 1.5 for third.
The Eulogy Stakes field is headed by the undefeated Shezzacatch (NZ) (Savabeel), whose two-out-of-two record includes a victory against male three-year-olds in the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) in September.
Key (Exceed and Excel) and White Lightning (NZ) (Reliable Man) are both winners who placed at Group Three level in their last start, while Signora Nera (NZ) (Sweynesse), Chikira Lass (NZ) (Proisir), Regal Ruby (NZ) (Night of Thunder), Samina Bibi (NZ) (Reliable Man), Sumi (NZ) (Atlante) and Whimsical (NZ) (Savabeel) all won their most recent starts.
The LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes will be run as Race 7 on Saturday with a start time of 4:19pm (NZT).
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey | Purchaser |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shezzacatch | 7 | Savabeel filly Shezzacatch (NZ) has made a huge impression winning both of her starts to date, including a stunning debut victory in the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings. She is the current favourite for next month's Group One Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham. Shezzacatch is bred and part-owned by Tony Rider, who won the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) earlier in the Filly of the Year Series with Miss Aotearoa (NZ) (Per Incanto). | Guy Lowry & Grant Cullen | Craig Grylls | |
| 2 | Key | 12 | A dominant debut winner at Otaki in October, Key (Exceed and Excel) has finished second in both subsequent appearances, including the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m). | Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard | Lisa Allpress | |
| 3 | Love For All | 6 | Love For All (Love Conquers All) began her career on a winning note at Hawera in early September, and she has followed that with a third placing at Trentham and a last-start second behind Shezzacatch. | Bryce Newman | Darryl Bradley | |
| 4 | Signora Nera | 11 | After beginning her career with a fifth and two third placings, Signora Nera (NZ) (Sweynesse) has turned the corner with impressive victories in both of her last two starts. She was a $40,000 purchase by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock from Book 1 of Karaka 2019. | Allan Sharrock | Hazel Schofer | Karaka 2019 Book 1, $40,000 by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock. |
| 5 | White Lightning | 14 | A strikingly coloured daughter of Reliable Man, White Lightning (NZ) ran a big race for second during the Hawke's Bay Spring Carnival before scoring a comfortable maiden win at Otaki. She was a last-start third in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m). | Fraser Auret | Trudy Thornton | |
| 6 | Chikira Lass | 2 | Bought by trainer Lisa Latta for $37,500 from Book 2 of Karaka 2019, Chikira Lass (NZ) (Proisir) finished sixth on debut before producing a strong finishing burst to win a maiden sprint at Wanganui on November 28. | Lisa Latta | Ashvin Goindasamy | Karaka 2019 Book 2, $37,500 by Lisa Latta |
| 7 | Regal Ruby | 1 | By Night of Thunder out of the 2014 Eulogy Stakes winner Choice (NZ) (Mastercraftsman), talented filly Regal Ruby (NZ) has had three starts for a fourth, a second and a stylish last-start win. | Robbie Patterson | Samantha Wynne | 2019 Ready to Run Sale, $50,000 by Mr R Patterson |
| 8 | Samina Bibi | 9 | Bought for $170,000 by Shaune Ritchie at last year's Ready to Run Sale, Samina Bibi (NZ) (Reliable Man) has had one start for a dominant victory at Te Rapa by two and a quarter lengths. | Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray | Wiremu Pinn | 2019 Ready to Run Sale, $170,000 by Shaune Ritchie |
| 9 | Sumi | 10 | Atlante filly Sumi (NZ) cost just $4,500 in Book 3 of Karaka 2019. She has had three starts for a win and two second placings. | Allan Sharrock | Sarah Macnab | Karaka 2019 Book 3, $4,500 by Mr SA Sharrock |
| 10 | Whimsical | 13 | Whimsical (NZ) (Savabeel) was a $240,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2019. Racing in the familiar colours of Lib Petagna's JML Bloodstock Ltd, she finished fourth on debut before winning impressively at Te Rapa late last month. | Stephen Marsh | Johnathan Parkes | Karaka 2019 Book 1, $240,000 by Bruce Perry Bloodstock |
| 11 | Dragon Queen | 15 | Dragon Queen (NZ) (Sweynesse) was bought for $50,000 from Book 3 of Karaka 2019. She has placed in five of her eight starts to date, and also finished a highly creditable fifth in last season's Karaka Million 2YO (1200m). | Michael Moroney & Pam Gerard | Taiki Yanagida | |
| 12 | Charms Star | 4 | Lisa Latta paid $65,000 to buy Charms Star (NZ) (Per Incanto) from Book 2 of Karaka 2019. She was unplaced on debut, but improved significantly for a last-start second at Waverley. | Lisa Latta | Ryan Bishop | |
| 13 | Gaelic Spirit | 3 | Gaelic Spirit (NZ) (Dalghar) cost just $5,000 in Book 3 of Karaka 2019. She has had three starts, finishing third in the most recent at Otaki. | Lisa Latta | ||
| 14 | Llanacord | 8 | Contributer filly Llanacord (NZ) was a $15,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2019. Her three starts to date have produced a fifth, a fourth and a last-start third at Awapuni. | Stephen Nickalls | Leah Hemi | |
| 15 | La Querida | 5 | La Querida (NZ) (El Hermano) has had two starts to date, both at Awapuni, finishing sixth and ninth. | Juleen Guilford | Temyia Taiaroa |