NZB Warstep Stakes to Decide Southern Filly Title
21 April 2016
In a desperately close finish to the 2015-16 New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series, the winner of Saturday’s $50,000 Listed NZB Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton will claim at least a share of the title.
The Series lead is currently shared three ways. Canterbury Belle Stakes winner Windborne (NZ) (Darci Brahma), NZB Airfreight Stakes winner Honor That (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and last weekend’s NZB Insurance Stakes winner No Pushover (NZ) (Pins) each have 7 points.
No Pushover is the only one of the leading fillies in the line-up for Saturday’s final leg of the Series. A win or top-three placing will likely be enough to earn her an outright Series win. On Saturday she faces a rematch with the second and third placegetters in the NZB Insurance Stakes, Goodsav (NZ) (Savabeel) and Deedee Panache (NZ) (Darci Brahma).
But a number of previous placegetters are lining up on Saturday and are well capable of adding a twist to the tale. Goodsav has three points, Princess Davone (NZ) (Iffraaj) has two points and Deedee Panache has one point. All are within striking distance and can make a late charge to claim the title.
The winner of Saturday’s race will earn 7 points, while the runner-up will pick up 3 points and the third placegetter will receive 1 point.
The other nine fillies in Saturday’s race currently have no points to their name, but a Warstep Stakes win would earn them a share of a four-way tie for first place. That result is rare but not unprecedented, having occurred in 2009-10 (Mercury Mistress, Ishiabeel, Brown Eyed Grace, Chaparella) and 2010-11 (Final Touch, Princess Emmy, No Choice, Fast Love).
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Goodsav | 11 | Trained in Hastings by Patrick Campbell, Goodsav (NZ) (Savabeel) has finished second in the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes and Listed NZB Insurance Stakes in her last two starts. | Patrick Campbell | Lisa Allpress |
| 2 | No Pushover | 8 | An equal leader in the NZB Southern Filly Series, No Pushover (NZ) (Pins) has been a dominant winner of her last two starts including the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes. | Shaune Ritchie | |
| 3 | Deedee Panache | 7 | Consistent Darci Brahma filly Deedee Panache (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has been in the top four in all of her last four starts including a close third in the NZB Insurance Stakes. | Jeff Lynds | Terry Moseley |
| 4 | All In Vogue | 12 | A daughter of Group 1-winning mare Tall Poppy (NZ) (Kaapstad), the talented All In Vogue (NZ) (Pins) has been unplaced in her last four starts but was third in the Listed Bob Sharrock Memorial Oaks Prelude at New Plymouth in February. | Kevin Gray | Chris Johnson |
| 5 | Alyth | 2 | An impressive winner at Wingatui two starts back, Alyth (NZ) (Librettist) was trapped out wide before tiring to finish 15th in the NZB Insurance Stakes. | John & Karen Parsons | |
| 6 | Princess Davone | 13 | Princess Davone (NZ) (Iffraaj) was unlucky in finishing out of the placings in the NZB Insurance Stakes last week. She has recorded five top-four finishes at stakes level this season. | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Darryl Bradley |
| 7 | Milly Que | 9 | Tackling stakes company for the first time, Milly Que (NZ) (Tobique) was an impressive last-start winner at Riverton. | Leda Beck | Racha Cuneen |
| 8 | Queen Serene | 10 | A daughter of Thorn Park and the stakes performer Queenza (NZ) (King Of Kings), Queen Serene (NZ) had good form before running eighth with a wide run in the NZB Insurance Stakes. | Michael & Matthew Pitman | |
| 9 | Black Sav | 4 | Highly rated Savabeel filly Black Sav (NZ) was doing her best work late when sixth in the NZB Insurance Stakes. | Lisa Latta | |
| 10 | Poetic Affair | 6 | The second runner in the field for the Go Racing Syndicates, Poetic Affair (NZ) (Thewayyouare) was ninth in the NZB Insurance Stakes but previously scored a strong win over 2100 metres. | Stephen McKee & Eddie Chippendale | Samantha Wynne |
| 11 | Twilight Rebel | 1 | Talented filly Twilight Rebel (NZ) (Shocking) is returning to her own sex after running sixth in the Group 3 Manawatu Classic. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Jonathan Riddell |
| 12 | De Chine | 3 | De Chine (NZ) (Darci Brahma) had good form in the north before finishing 10th in last week's NZB Insurance Stakes. The extra distance looks likely to suit. | Graham Richardson | Robert Hannam |
| 13 | Little Haast | 5 | She may still be a maiden after six starts, but Little Haast (NZ) (Faltaat) has never been beaten by a large margin. She was a close sixth in the NZB Airfreight Stakes and seventh in the NZB Insurance Stakes. | Daniel Champion & Kezia Murphy |