Ortem Fire Seals Southern Filly Title

The final leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's Southern Filly of the Year Series, the $50,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m), saw two fillies celebrate success with Asavant (NZ) claiming her first stakes race and Ortem Fire (NZ) securing the overall Series crown.

Coming into the Warstep Stakes with 10 Series points, three clear of her nearest rivals, Ortem Fire (Gallant Guru x Emerald Fire) needed only to run a place to ensure her Series victory, and she did exactly that when running a neck second to the classy Zabeel filly Asavant (ex Pins 'N' Needles).

With the penultimate leg of the Series - the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1600m) - seeing Ortem Fire beat Asavant into second place, Saturday's Warstep Stakes saw a rematch between the pair with Asavant turning the tables in the 2000 metre renewal.

Saturday's second placing takes Ortem Fire's Series total to 13 points, three clear of Asavant, and sees her crowned the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year.

Trained by Brian & Shane Anderton and raced by the Progressive Syndicate, Metro Syndicate, B Shaw, P McDonald, S Blair, E Hornbrook & B Reid, the three-year-old has been the most consistent filly in the Series.

Ortem Fire made her Series debut in the second leg, the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight Stakes (1400m), where she ran second to three-time winning filly Cora Lynn (Golan).

She then won the third race of the Series, the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1600m), beating Asavant and becoming the first stakes winner for her sire Gallant Guru.

Ortem Fire was bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton who stand her sire Gallant Guru at their Dunedin based stud - White Robe Lodge. The son of Montjeu had untapped ability on the track, claiming the Group 2 Sandown Classic in track record time amongst his wins but ending his career prematurely at four. Commencing his stud duties in 2007, Ortem Fire is from the young sire's oldest crop.

Ortem Fire's race record now stands at 11 starts for three wins and five placings for over $65,000 in stakes.

Asavant made an immediate impact when running second in her Series debut in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes. Trained by John & Karen Parsons and raced by William & Karen Calder, Saturday's victory gives the daughter of Zabeel 7 points, taking her to a total of 10 points second place in the Southern Filly of the Year Series.

Saturday's win was the second of Asavant's career with her first coming on the same track and distance four starts ago before contesting the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks. She is the 140th stakes winner for her sire Zabeel and the victory has taken her earnings to over $55,000.

The Kevin Myers trained Negotiate (King's Chapel x Joan) was three-and-a-half-lengths away in third place in Saturday's race, earning herself her first point in the Series.

To view the final points table for New Zealand Bloodstock's 2011/12 Southern Filly of the Year Series, click here.