Newcomers Take Centre Stage in Eulogy Stakes
8 December 2016
The New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series returns to the North Island on Saturday with leg three, the $70,000 Group 3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Awapuni, the chance for some newcomers to make their mark on the prestigious Series in 2016-17.
With the first three fillies home in last month’s Group 1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton absent from Saturday’s field, and also no fillies lining up from September’s Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings (1200m), the runners in Saturday’s race will all be vying for their first points in the Series.
Most of the pre-race attention surrounds the undefeated Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge), who has won her four starts by a combined margin of more than nine lengths. Among her victories was last season’s Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m), beating subsequent Gold Trail Stakes winner Honey Rider (NZ) (Pins).
But the likely favourite will face stiff opposition from her eight rivals, which include six recent winners.
There are many well-bred fillies in the field. Rayas (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) is a full-sister to the recent Group 2 winner Lasarla (NZ), Angeline (NZ) (Cape Blanco) is out of the Group 2 Wellington Cup winner Megapins (NZ), Save The Date (NZ) (Savabeel) is out of a half-sister to Starcraft (NZ) (Soviet Star) while Storytime (NZ) (Savabeel) and Darscape Princess (NZ) (Darci Brahma) are out of stakes-placed mares.
The race will be run as race six at Awapuni and will start at 3.38pm.
The winner of the Eulogy Stakes will receive 6 points, with 3 points for the runner-up and 1.5 points for the third-placed horse.
gavelhouse.com 1000 Guineas winner La Diosa (NZ) (So You Think) sits at the top of the table with 12 points.
To view NZB Filly of the Year Series information including the Series races and Leaderboard click here.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Volpe Veloce | 4 | Foxwedge filly Volpe Veloce is the most accomplished runner in this field. She has had four starts for four wins, including the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m). Her wins have come by a combined margin of more than nine lengths. She was purchased at Karaka for $240,000 by trainer Graham Richardson | Graham Richardson | Johnathon Parkes |
| 2 | Rayas | 6 | The Paul Shailer-trained filly Rayas (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) is a full-sister to the recent Group 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1400m) winner Lasarla (NZ). Rayas won impressively on debut, then ran fourth before a last-start second in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m). | Paul Shailer | |
| 3 | Storytime | 8 | Savabeel filly Storytime (NZ) is a daughter of the stakes-placed Authoress (Fuji Kiseki). She has had five starts for a win and a placing, and she was a last-start seventh in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m). | Evan & JJ Rayner | Hayden Tinsley |
| 4 | Angeline | 9 | A daughter of Cape Blanco and the Group 2 Wellington Cup (2400m) winner Megapins (NZ) (Pins), Angeline (NZ) has had three starts to date for a fifth, an eighth and a last-start maiden win. | Shaune Ritchie | |
| 5 | Darscape Princess | 1 | Darscape Princess (NZ) is by Darci Brahma out of the stakes-placed mare Cape Princess (NZ) (Cape Cross). Darscape Princess has had a win, two seconds and a fourth from four starts. | Fraser Auret | |
| 6 | Save The Date | 2 | Possibly the best-bred horse in the field, Save The Date (NZ) (Savabeel) is out of More To Love (NZ) (Danasinga) - a half-sister to the five-time Group 1 winner and successful sire Starcraft (NZ) (Soviet Star). Save The Date has started three times for a third, a fourth and a last-start win. | Lance Noble | |
| 7 | Shez Swanky | 5 | Align filly Shez Swanky (NZ) was an impressive debut winner who finished ninth behind race rival Volpe Veloce in her only other start. | Jim Collett | Darryl Bradley |
| 8 | Rip Into Ghia | 7 | Rip Into Ghia (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) has had four starts so far and her best result was a third, but she was an unlucky fifth in her most recent start at New Plymouth. | Lisa Latta | |
| 9 | Choux Play | 3 | Jimmy Choux filly Choux Play (NZ) has had two top-four finishes from her five starts to date. She was unlucky last time out at New Plymouth. | Bryce Revell |