NZ Oaks Final Battle in NZB Filly Series
17 March 2006
Shikoba (Chief Bearhart x Summary) may have already won the war but, at Trentham on Saturday, there will be one last battle between some of the most promising three year old fillies racing this year.
The running of the $300,000 Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock New Zealand Oaks (2400m) will be the last assignment for many of the fillies who will head to the spelling paddock for a well-earned rest after a long summer of racing.
Seven of the fillies lining up have points in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series but an unassailable lead has secured Shikoba the prestigious title of New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year for 2005/6. She joins a long list of successful Series winners that includes Justa Tad, Taatletail, Bramble Rose and Vapour Trail.
The Micaela Murray-owned, Shikoba, has already won three of the nine races in the Series. These were all Group 2 wins: the Eight Carat Classic (1600m), New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes (2000m) and Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m).
Her list of achievements includes two Group 1 placings but so far lacks a Group 1 win, hence her tilt at the Oaks this weekend. Most recently, a game run down the outside of the field resulted in third behind Group 1 winners Kristov and Hurrah in the Group 1 Starcraft New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie last weekend. After pulling up in good order, and a pleasing recovery, trainer Mark Walker decided to give her one more crack at a Group 1 win.
Waikato Stud owned Legs (Pins x River Century) comes into the Oaks sitting on nine points with a host of credible performances including a win in the Group 3 Robertson Holden Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and a second in the Group 3 Williams & Adams Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. Her run will be helped by a dry track after only managing seventh on a dead track at Trentham last start. Legs is trained in Waverly by Kevin Gray and Robert Patterson.
Everswindell (Align x Hilarion Lady) enters the race with a wealth of Group racing experience under her belt, her most notable performance being second behind Seachange (Cape Cross x Just Cruising) in the Gr.1 New Zealand Bloodstock One Thousand Guineas (1600m). Vinny Colgan takes the ride for trainer John Sargent who has two other runners in the race.
Sharvasti (Montjeu x Vedodara) will be ridden by in form jockey, Jason Waddell, and comes off a second in the Group 3 Devan Plastics Lowland Stakes (2100m). Both Everswindell and Sharvasti have an advantage over some of the other Northern based horses, having being based in Wellington for the last fortnight. Sargent's other runner Ciara (O'Reilly x Kincia) will be ridden by Michael Coleman.
Falsetto (Zabeel x Attempting) lines up on Saturday for the Rogerson/Autridge stable. She has recently found winning form under Lisa Cropp at her last two starts. Last weekend she recorded an impressive two length victory in the ARC Telecom Ellerslie Oaks (2100m) over the Roger James trained Gaze (Cape Cross x Eye Full) and Mirkola Lass (Prized x Gun Lady). The trio will meet again this weekend with Mirkola Lass being ridden by Noel Harris after a long trip south from Kenny Rae's stable in Ruakaka.
Fourth place-getter in the same race, Ritzy Lady (Zabeel x Ever Clever) is another James trained runner. Roger James has a hefty hand in the field, with five fillies entered. Stable rider, Andrew Calder will partner top chance Gaze while Asmahan (Zabeel x She's Country), Myriad (Kaapstad x True Colours) and Nova (Almutawakel x Stormy Alley) round off the quintet.
Other Group race winners in the field include winner of the penultimate leg of the Filly Series, Molta (Danske x Heaps), for Murray Baker, and Out Of Align (Align x Limerick Lea) for Gary Vile.
Although the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series winds up with the running of the New Zealand Bloodstock New Zealand Oaks, the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series regains momentum next weekend with the second race of the Series - the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1400m) - being hosted by the Otago Racing Club.