NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series Resumes on Boxing Day
24 December 2025
Classy Canterbury filly Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) could take a big step towards the NZB Southern Filly of the Year title when the four-race series resumes with the $100,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day.
This will be the second leg of the popular series, which began on September 13 with the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton. Miss Starlight won that race and went straight to the top of the NZB Southern Filly leaderboard with 7 points.
Every race in the NZB Southern Filly Series is worth 7 points for the winner, 4 for second and 2 for third. With Miss Starlight lining up again on Boxing Day – and neither of the Canterbury Belle Stakes placegetters in the field – it is an ideal chance for her to add to her lead.
But the other 14 fillies in the highly talented NZB Airfreight Stakes line-up will make Miss Starlight earn those additional NZB Southern Filly Series points.
Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Rene) is the highest-rated runner in the field, having won five of her nine starts including the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) in October. Miss Starlight and Cool Aza Rene both contested the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in their most recent appearances, finishing seventh and eighth.
Marokopa Falls (Hellbent) heads south after some strong performances in the North Island, including a last-start stakes placing in the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui.
Miss Ziggy (NZ) (Brazen Beau) placed in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in January and has run some solid races this spring including a fifth in the Canterbury Belle Stakes, third in the Barneswood Farm Stakes and ninth in the 1000 Guineas.
The NZB Airfreight Stakes will be run as Race 6 at Wingatui on Boxing Day, with a scheduled start time of 3.30pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cool Aza Rene | 1 | Te Akau Racing's Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) boasts the strongest career record in this field with nine starts for five wins, a placing and $180,100 in stakes. Her biggest win came with a tenacious victory in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes over this 1400m distance at Ashburton in October. That earned her a shot at the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), where she finished eighth. | ||
| 2 | Miss Starlight | 4 | Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) heads the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series table with 7 points courtesy of her victory in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton in September. Her record stood at a perfect three-from-three after that highly impressive performance. Since then, she has finished sixth in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) and a creditable seventh in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). | ||
| 3 | Cashla Bay | 8 | The Oaks Stud's homebred filly Cashla Bay (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) is a half-sister to the multiple Group winner and Group One placegetter Five To Midnight (NZ) (Domesday). Cashla Bay has had 10 starts for two wins and five placings, and she caught the eye with a close third in a $65,000 three-year-old race during the New Zealand Cup Carnival at Riccarton in November. | ||
| 4 | Marokopa Falls | 10 | North Island visitor Marokopa Falls (Hellbent) heads south with strong form credentials, including a last-start third placing in the Listed O'Learys Fillies' Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui. That race was won by Circus Dancer (NZ) (Circus Maximus), who will contest the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, while second placegetter War Princess (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) went on to win the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m). | ||
| 5 | Miss Ziggy | 14 | Miss Ziggy (Brazen Beau) made her presence felt on the big stage last season with a placing in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m). Her five starts this season have included a win, plus a third in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), a fifth in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) and a ninth in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | AJ Carston, $250,000 |
| 6 | Sweetheart | 9 | Windsor Park Stud homebred Sweetheart (NZ) (Vanbrugh) was a maiden winner at Timaru in September and has performed well in strong age-group company since then. She ran eighth in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), fourth in the Group Three War Decree Stakes (1600m) and a last-start second during the New Zealand Cup Carnival. | ||
| 7 | Azilee Star | 12 | Talented Southland filly Azilee Star (NZ) (Tivaci) has finished in the top four in five of her eight starts. Her maiden win came at her home track, Ascot Park, in early October, and she has run strong-finishing placings in two of her three races since then. She is the first of three runners in this field for trainer Robert Dennis. | ||
| 8 | Bobby McGee | 3 | From a four-start career, Bobby McGee (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) has recorded a win, a third and two fifths. She ran third at Riverton in April in her only two-year-old appearance, then resumed in the spring with a fifth at Timaru in September, a maiden win at this track in October and a last-start fifth at Ascot Park on December 13. | ||
| 9 | Hello Hayley | 2 | Unplaced at Pukekohe in her only race as a two-year-old, Hello Hayley (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) relocated to the South Island for her three-year-old season and has quickly made an impression. She resumed with a strong-finishing fourth at Cromwell on November 28, then scored an impressive come-from-behind maiden victory at Ascot Park on December 13. | ||
| 10 | Whirlpool | 13 | White Robe Lodge homebred Whirlpool (NZ) is the second of two runners in this field from the first crop of the famous stud's young stallion Ancient Spirit. Whirlpool has had three starts to date, including a maiden victory at Timaru on November 19. | ||
| 11 | Here's Loosie | 7 | Here's Loosie (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) was a $60,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2024 and is a half-sister to the Group Three-placed Rip Into Ghia (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle). The second of three runners in the race for Robert Dennis, Here's Loosie was a four-length maiden winner at Gore in September. | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | GA & KR Davidson/Robert Dennis Racing, $60,000 |
| 12 | Roc 'N' Ready | 15 | The final member of the Robert Dennis trio is Roc 'N' Ready (NZ) (El Roca), who the Ascot Park trainer bought for $35,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2024. Roc 'N' Ready was a winner as a two-year-old last season and has run some eye-catching races this spring including a second at Riverton and a fourth during the New Zealand Cup Carnival at Riccarton. | Karaka 2024, Book 2 | Robert Dennis Racing, $35,000 |
| 13 | Shesascorcher | 6 | Go Racing's Shesascorcher (NZ) is a well-related daughter of rising star sire Super Seth and the stakes-winning mare Summer's Day (NZ) (Darci Brahma). Bought for $85,000 from Karaka 2024, Shesascorcher has had eight starts for a second, three thirds, a fourth and a fifth. | Karaka 2024, Book 1 | Go Racing Ltd/Blandford Bloodstock, $85,000 |
| 14 | Ripa Time | 11 | Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler paid only $2,500 to buy Ripa Time (NZ) (Time Test) from the 2023 National Weanling Sale. She has had five starts for a second, two fourths and a fifth, with her only time out of the top five placings being a ninth in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m). | 2023 National Weanling Sale | KL Tyler, $2,500 |
| 15 | Nika Deloire | 5 | Another bargain purchase is Nika Deloire (NZ) (Preferment), who was picked up by Riverton trainer Ebony Turner for $2,500 from the 2024 National Online Yearling Sale. She has had only one start so far, finishing fourth at Ascot Park on November 23. | 2024 National Online Yearling Sale | Ebony Turner, $2,500 |