NZB Filly of the Year Glory on the Line in Grand Finale

For the first time in four years, the NZB Filly of the Year Series is still well and truly alive heading into its grand finale – the $1m Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

The winner of the Oaks will earn 12 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, with 7 points for second and 3.5 points for third.

With 10 of the 11 races run and won, the table is currently headed by Well Written (Written Tycoon) and Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) with 20 points each. Both of that pair earned their points through the first four legs of the series and have played no further part since the New Year.

That has left an opening for a standout staying filly to make a late charge, and Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) looks the most likely to fit that bill. Her last two starts have produced highly impressive come-from-behind wins in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) and Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2100m). She now sits on 16 points and is well within striking range. A top-two finish in the Oaks will clinch her the title.

Consistent big-race performer Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has 10 points and can also claim the title with an Oaks victory, provided Ohope Wins finishes further back than second. Taranaki filly Ultimate Habit (NZ) (Embellish) has 8 points and could end up as a joint Filly of the Year winner alongside Well Written and Lollapalooza if she triumphs in the Oaks and Ohope Wins finishes outside the top two.

All of this is a very different story to the last three seasons. In 2025, the season’s standout filly Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) went into the Oaks with 28 points to her name and an unassailable lead in the Filly of the Year Series. She lifted that tally to 40 with her Oaks triumph, becoming one of just a handful of fillies to reach 40 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series.

In the previous two seasons, Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High) and Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) did not run in the Oaks but were guaranteed Filly of the Year winners with uncatchable tallies of 28 and 26 points respectively. The Oaks victories by Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) and Pulchritudinous (NZ) (Wrote) in those two seasons lifted both of that pair to second place on the Filly of the Year podium.

The last time the Oaks proved decisive in the Filly of the Year standings was in 2022, when Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy) won the Oaks and surged to 31 points, which was enough to share the coveted title with her stablemate Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking).

The very much alive NZB Filly of the Year Series race is not the only distinctive feature of this year’s New Zealand Oaks. The 2400-metre fillies’ classic has also been moved from Trentham to Ellerslie, and has shifted into February after being held in the second half of March for the last two decades.

This new position on the calendar, which will be reviewed at the end of the season, has been chosen with the goal of encouraging the country’s leading staying fillies to contest both the Oaks and the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m). The Derby will be run over the same course and distance on Champions Day, two weeks after the Oaks.

“The new February timing at Ellerslie strengthens pathways for fillies, creates synergy with the Derby two weeks later, and gives New Zealand’s classic calendar better alignment with Australia's autumn features,” Auckland Thoroughbred Racing’s CEO Paul Wilcox said at the time the change was announced.

The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks will be run as Race 8 at Ellerslie on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 4.38pm.

#	HORSE	DRAW	COMMENTS	SALE	PURCHASER
1	Ohope Wins	14	Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) came into 2026 as a maiden, but the first seven weeks of the year have seen her emerge as one of New Zealand's most exciting staying prospects. She launched a powerful finish to take out the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day, then came from last to score a sensational victory in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa on February 7. She has 16 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series and can claim the title with a top-two finish in the Oaks. Ohope Wins is raced by Yulong Investments, whose green and white colours are also carried by the undefeated Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and $1.5m Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) winner Well Written (Written Tycoon).
2	Tajana	13	The Oaks will be the fourth appearance of the NZB Filly of the Year Series for the admirably consistent Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma), who began with a Group Three Sunline Vase (1400m) victory in September and has since finished third in the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and a last-start third in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2100m). Tajana has 10 points and could leapfrog her way to the NZB Filly of the Year title if she wins the Oaks and Ohope Wins finishes outside the top two.
3	Single Red	2	Passed in at Karaka 2024 with a $60,000 reserve, Single Red (NZ) (Vanbrugh) has quickly stamped herself as a filly with quality. She ran fourth on debut over 1400 metres on January 2, then put together back-to-back victories over 1400 metres on January 16 and 1650 metres on January 28. Trainer Andrew Forsman stepped her up to stakes level in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2100m), and she finished second, beaten by half a length by Oaks favourite Ohope Wins.	Karaka 2024, Book 1	Psd, Res $60,000
4	Autumn Glory	1	Roger James and Robert Wellwood know a classic-quality filly when they see one, and they have always had a big opinion of Autumn Glory (NZ) (Ocean Park). A debut victory over 1400 metres at Ruakaka on January 6 earned her a black-type opportunity at her second start, where a heavy track tripped her up and she finished seventh in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m). She bounced back emphatically in her only other appearance, beating male three-year-olds in the Group Two Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 7.
5	Ultimate Habit	10	Robbie Patterson completed the Lowland Stakes-Oaks double last year with Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn), and the New Plymouth trainer will attempt to repeat that result with Ultimate Habit (NZ) (Embellish). Fourth, second and sixth in her first three starts, Ultimate Habit relished the step up to 2100 metres in the Group Two Lowland Stakes and produced a powerful late burst to win by a length. She ran her last 600 metres in 32.76 seconds, last 400 metres in 21.61 and last 200 metres in 10.97. She won a trial in the Ellerslie direction at Te Aroha on February 11.
6	Ariadne	5	Well-related filly Ariadne (NZ) (Almanzor) was bought by Roger James and Robert Wellwood for $95,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2024. She was unlucky when unplaced on debut in October, then finished first and third in her next two appearances. Her first shot at stakes level produced a creditable second to Ultimate Habit in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m).	Karaka 2024, Book 1	RA James/R Wellwood, $95,000
7	Acer	17	Acer (NZ) (Savabeel) is among the most battle-hardened fillies in this field with eight starts to her name, and the most recent of those was easily her best yet. She cleared maiden ranks in style with a strong victory in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth on January 24. She races in the colours of her owner-breeders Monovale Holdings, who also bred race rival Autumn Glory. However, they sold that filly to Yulong Investments following her victory in the Group Two Waikato Guineas (2000m).	Karaka 2024, Book 1	Psd, Res $150,000
8	Clara Bow	4	Bought by  Summertime Holdings for $120,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2024, Clara Bow (NZ) (Ocean Park) is still a maiden but has never finished further back than fourth in her four-start career. That includes her NZB Filly of the Year debut in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Trentham on January 31, in which she ran third behind Oaks rivals Ultimate Habit and Ariadne. Trainers Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott, who will also be represented in the race by Ohope Wins and Acer, believe Clara Bow has scope for further improvement.	Karaka 2024, Book 1	Summertime Holdings, $120,000
9	Crimson Sky	15	One of four fillies in this field for in-form Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park (NZ), the Cody Cole-trained Crimson Sky (NZ) has recorded a second, a third, a fifth and a sixth from her four starts. She has already proven herself in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, finishing third in the Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and fifth in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m).	Karaka 2024, Book 2	Challenge Racehorse Syndications, $20,000
10	Born To Be Royal	11	Born To Be Royal (King's Legacy) has been a Group Two placegetter at the ages of two and three. She finished at the tail of the field in this month's Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2100m) after a horror run with multiple cases of interference, but her previous form was examplary, including a strong maiden victory over 2000 metres and a big finish for third behind Ohope Wins in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m).	Karaka 2024, Book 1	DC Ellis, $260,000
11	Fly Zenno	9	Kawa Park's Conor and Sarah Fahy paid $30,000 to buy Fly Zenno (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) from Book 2 of Karaka 2024. She has earned $25,870 from her first five starts, including eye-catching efforts in Group Two company in her two most recent appearances. She chased home Ohope Wins when fifth in the Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) on New Year's Day, then ran fourth behind the same rival in the David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2100m).	Karaka 2024, Book 2	Kawa Park, $30,000
12	Dux	6	Dux (NZ) (Tivaci) is a half-sister to Andalus (NZ) (Almanzor), who was runner-up in the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) of his year. Dux has had four starts, winning the most recent of them in good style over 2000 metres at New Plymouth last Friday.
13	Savina	16	Savina (NZ) (Ace High) is one of two fillies in this year's Oaks racing in the colours of owner-breeders The Oaks Stud, the other being Tajana. The Stephen Marsh-trained Savina showed good promise through the early stages of her career, including a seventh placing, 3.4 lengths behind Ohope Wins, in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m). She dropped back to maiden grade for a 2100-metre race at Te Rapa on January 30 and won comfortably despite a wide gate.
14	Savvy Donna	12	Rotorua's Savvy Donna (NZ) (Savabeel) has been consistently close up against the best of her age group this season. She was a strong-finishing fourth in the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) in the spring while still a maiden, and she produced another eye-catching effort last start when fifth in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa.
15	Sweet Talkin Gal	3	Sweet Talkin Gal (Anders) has recorded a win and three placings in her seven-start career, and she was close up in fifth in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m) and seventh in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m).
16	Iffigive	7	Rangiotu owner-trainer Stephen Nickalls finished second in the 2021 New Zealand Oaks with Llanacord (NZ) (Contributer), and he is back five years later with another daughter of the same stallion. Iffigive (NZ) (Contributer) has had six starts for two placings, and her two most recent starts have been creditable efforts for fourth in the Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and sixth in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m).
17	Unbounded	8	The lowest-priced yearling purchase in this year's Oaks field is Unbounded (NZ) (Turn Me Loose), who was bought by Natalie Milligan for just $14,500. She has placed in three of her six starts, including a valuable third placing in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m), and she has earned $17,770. She had a tough wide run when seventh in this month's Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2100m).	Karaka 2024, Book 2	Natalie Milligan, $14,500