NZB Filly of the Year Series Nears Thrilling Conclusion
17 March 2016
New Zealand Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year Series will go right down to the wire in the 10th and final leg, the Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on Saturday.
Mime (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) and Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi) are tied for the Series lead with 14 points each. The two exceptional fillies will go head-to-head for the first time in Saturday’s $300,000 classic.
Mime has won the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic and Group 3 Sunline Vase in her last two starts, while Sofia Rosa has earned Oaks favouritism with spectacular back-to-back wins in the Group 2 Royal Stakes and Group 3 Lowland Stakes. It promises to be an exciting clash.
With 12 Filly of the Year Series points available to the winner of the Oaks, the battle for the Filly of the Year Series title will not necessarily be only a two-horse race. Depending on the placings of other runners, Strada Cavallo (NZ) (Alamosa), Promise To Reign (Manhattan Rain), Coldplay (NZ) (Savabeel) and Duchess Kate (NZ) (Savabeel) all have a chance to claim the title. Strada Cavallo has 11.5 points to her name, Promise To Reign has 7 and Coldplay and Duchess Kate both have 6.
The runner-up in Saturday’s Oaks will pick up 7 points, while the third placegetter will receive 3.5 points.
If Duchess Kate can win the Oaks and claim the Filly of the Year Series title she will go one better than her full-sister Saavoya (NZ) (Savabeel), who finished second on the table last season behind Platinum Witness (California Dane).
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Mime | 13 | A model of consistency, Mime (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) has only finished further back than second once in her 10-start career. In her last two starts she has won the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic and Group 3 Sunline Vase. She is tied for the lead in the NZB Filly of the Year Series. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Matt Cameron |
| 2 | Sofia Rosa | 4 | Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi) has won three of her last four starts, including sensational victories in the Group 2 Royal Stakes and Group 3 Lowland Stakes. She is the favourite for the Oaks and shares the lead in the NZB Filly of the Year Series with Mime. | Stephen Marsh | Danielle Johnson |
| 3 | Promise To Reign | 11 | A maiden until three starts ago, Promise To Reign (Manhattan Rain) has come of age in the last few weeks with fast-finishing placings in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic and Group 3 Sunline Vase. | Moira Murdoch | Leith Innes |
| 4 | Strada Cavallo | 14 | Battle-hardened and consistent, Strada Cavallo (NZ) (Alamosa) has won the Listed John Grigg Stakes and recorded top-six finishes in the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas, Group 2 Eight Carat Classic, Group 2 Royal Stakes, Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes and Group 3 Lowland Stakes. | Graham Richardson | |
| 5 | Duchess Kate | 8 | Duchess Kate (NZ) (Savabeel) is a full-sister to one of last season's top fillies in Saavoya (NZ) (Savabeel). Duchess Kate won the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes and was a last-start fourth in the Group 3 Sunline Vase. | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Cameron Lammas |
| 6 | Coldplay | 10 | Since winning the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes in December, Coldplay (NZ) (Savabeel) has endured a run of bad luck but has nevertheless finished fourth in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic, fifth in the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes, fourth in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic and fifth in the Group 3 Sunline Vase. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Lisa Allpress |
| 7 | Megawatt | 9 | Trained by two-time Oaks winner Shaune Ritchie (Keep The Peace 2010, Artistic 2012), Megawatt (NZ) is a daughter of Melbourne Cup winner Shocking. She finished third in the Group 2 Royal Stakes. | Shaune Ritchie | Alysha Collett |
| 8 | Cool Tart | 5 | Part of a two-pronged Roger James attack on the 2016 New Zealand Oaks, Cool Tart (NZ) (Zabeel) was fifth in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes in December and has been doing her best work late in recent starts. | Roger James | Mark Du Plessis |
| 9 | Amazing Lady | 6 | She may still be a maiden after four starts, but Amazing Lady (NZ) (O'Reilly) has caught the eye with bold finishes including a strong third in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes. | Roger James | Michael McNab |
| 10 | Maytra Dee | 1 | Maytra Dee (NZ) (Sufficient) capped a long run of placings with a deserved win in her last trip to the races. However, she was unplaced in her only try at stakes level in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic. | Bruce Wallace | Grant Cooksley |
| 11 | Alarmist | 12 | Fourth in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes in December and not far away in a couple of runs at stakes level after that, Alarmist (NZ) (Shocking) flew home late for an unlucky fourth at her most recent appearance. | Dick & Chris Bothwell | Jonathan Riddell |
| 12 | Alcaldesa | 3 | Alcaldesa (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) won the Listed Wanganui Guineas in the spring but has had mixed form since then. | Tony Bambry | Darryl Bradley |
| 13 | Fanatic | 15 | Fanatic (NZ) (Shocking) has had a win and two placings from her 11 starts and was running on late when fourth in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes last start. | Graeme Sanders & Debbie Sweeney | Mark Hills |
| 14 | Magic Wonder | 7 | Magic Wonder (NZ) (Eighth Wonder) has had a good win and a placing from her five starts but was a little disappointing when unplaced in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes. | Paul Belsham | Samantha Wynne |
| 15 | Tessastock | 2 | Tessastock (NZ) (Tavistock) is still a maiden, but has recorded numerous placings and was a solid fifth in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes. | Graham Richardson | |
| 16 | Firebird Flyer | 16 | Firebird Flyer (NZ) (Stravinsky) has shown talent and been unlucky in recent starts in maiden company, but this is a big step up. | Jeff Lynds | Masa Tanaka |