NZB Southern Filly Series Finale a Chance for Staying Fillies to Shine

The final leg of the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series may not have its usual role as a series decider this season, but Saturday’s $80,000 Listed NZB Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton offers a shot at valuable black type for a cast of emerging staying talent.

The Warstep Stakes brings a close to the four-race NZB Southern Filly Series and is worth 7 points to the winner, 4 for second and 2 for third.

The first three legs have seen Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) rack up an unassailable 15 points, with her nearest challenger Bona Sforza (Written By) on 11. Neither of those two fillies will line up in the Warstep Stakes this weekend. Notably, Bona Sforza is instead contesting the A$1m Group One Australasian Oaks (2000m) in Adelaide.

Bobby Mcgee (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) is third on the table with 7 points, and the only Warstep Stakes runner already on the points table is Perlino (NZ) (Super Seth), who has 2 points and shares fourth spot with Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) and Intention (NZ) (Bivouac).

While this means Miss Starlight is guaranteed the NZB Southern Filly title, there is still all-important black type up for grabs in the Warstep Stakes – a race that has served as a springboard to bigger and better things for previous winners such as Seamist (NZ) (Beaufort Sea), Ombre Rose (NZ) (O’Reilly), Porotene Gem (NZ) (Pins) and Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) as well as the placegetters Saint Cecile (NZ) (Pompeii Court), Vouvray (NZ) (Zabeel) and Consensus (NZ) (Postponed).

Notable contenders in this year’s Warstep include the dual Listed winner Hello Hayley (NZ) (Hello Youmzain), last-start Group Three Manawatu Classic (2100m) runner-up Circus Trix (NZ) (Circus Maximus), Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m) placegetter Capaci (NZ) (Tivaci) and the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) placegetter Perlino.

The NZB Warstep Stakes will be run as Race 5 at Riccarton on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 3.28pm.