NZB Southern Filly Series Heats Up

The penultimate leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series, the $45,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) has attracted a large field of 22 fillies vying for the valuable black-type at Riccarton on Saturday.

Currently first equal on the points table is the John Sargent trained No Choice (Coats Choice x Winkum) who stormed home in her last start to claim seven points in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes, the second leg of the Series. She will have a tough ask after drawing the outside barrier of 22, but her class is not to be discounted.

The Jason Bridgman trained Miss Thorn (Thorn Park x Spray) comes into the race in good form after winning a rating 80 race at Riccarton on March 26. I'm Your Venus (Show a Heart x Oaky Miss) will hit the track in winning form and has a strong course and distance record for her trainers Mandy and Matt Brown, but she too has drawn wide at 19.

Michael Pitman has a strong hand in the race with three runners. Peace (Ishiguru x Emerald) is the highest rated of his fillies and, although not getting all favours in her last two outings, she will be looking to improve from barrier 14. Aluminium Bikerack (Fantastic Light x Clerihew) and Miss Maximuss (Castledale x Missprynt) both put in good performances at their last starts despite not running in the placings, and have drawn reasonably well for the race with barriers five and twelve respectively.

The John and Karen Parsons trained Final Touch (Kashani x My Lydia) put in a powerful finish to win her last start at Banks Peninsula last Saturday and will be looking to make it back-to-back wins from barrier eight. Sylvie's Dream (Danske x Waikiki Princess) also comes into the race off a good win at the same meeting and her trainer Shane Kennedy will be hoping to make the best of her wide draw of 20.

Steve Anderton has two in the race including the beautifully bred filly The Glitzy One (Flying Spur x The Jewel) who ran a strong second in her last start in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes; and The Solitaire (O'Reilly x The Dazzler) jumping from the ace barrier who put in a good finish over 1400 metres at Otago on April 1.

Andrew Scott will be saddling up She's a Cougar (One Cool Cat x Smooch) who came from the back of the field at her last start to put in a good finish in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes; and Fireside (Thorn Park x Glenview Lass) who will be looking to recapture the form that saw her run third over a competitive mile at the Karaka Million Twilight meeting at Ellerslie two starts back. Only lightly tried against some seasoned campaigners, the drop back in distance from her last start should bring her right into this despite the draw of 16.

Andromache (Charge Forward x Mythical Play) for Peter and Dawn Williams, and the Arron Tata trained Triple Threat (Savabeel x Swan Lake) have both shown they have ability on the track with winning performances and will be looking to put in a big race come Saturday.

The lightly tried filly Hayley Rose (Floral Dynamite x Dance Parade) won her track debut and has been racing in some tough company. Her trainer Jan Hay looks to have a high opinion of the filly who ran a good race in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes at her last start and is one to watch.

The Karen Zimmerman trained Kabuki (Shinko King x Upstage) also won her debut and, like Hayley Rose, has been racing in good company. She put in a good finish at her last start in a strong field at Trentham on March 19 and has drawn barrier 15.

There are six ballots in the race, Jaylah (Yamanin Vital x Ebony Bijou), Flying Petal (Bunker x Flying Benie), Diplomacy (No Excuse Needed x Gilded Saint), Sashenka (No Excuse Needed x Russian Embassy), Soldier of Love (Lord of Warriors x Miss Nicolight) and Ms Courtenay Place (Le Bec Fin x Vivian Street).

The winner of the $45,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight Stakes (1600m) will receive seven points in the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series, with second taking three points, and third one point.

To view the current points table for the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series, click here. Gates will open in the fillies feature at Riccarton at 3.36pm on Saturday.