Princess Coup Crowned NZB Filly of the Year
19 March 2007
Princess Coup (Encosta de Lago x Stoneyfell Road) sealed this season's New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series in spectacular fashion at Trentham on Saturday.
Inclement weather and a slow track did nothing to quell her brilliant sprint, with the Mark Walker-trained filly simply dashing away from opponents in the Group 1 New World New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
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Princess Coup (Encosta de Lago x Stoneyfell Road) takes out the Group 1 New World New Zealand Oaks |
Overkaast (Kaapstad x Daytime) produced a brave run to finish 4 � lengths back in second with a further one-and-a-half lengths back to crack filly Veloce Bella (Volksraad x Wave to Lottie) in third.
The comprehensive �win provided Princess Coup's owners John Bromley and Ray Coupland with their greatest thrill yet in racing, and earned accolades from her trainer as well as jockey, Opie Bosson.
Testament to the Te Akau team's management, the hardy filly's season has culminated in style with her elusive Group 1 win coming after placings in both the One and Two Thousand Guineas late last year.
By the Australian based Coolmore sire Encosta de Lago (by Fairy King), the win was her fifth in stakes company with her share of the NZ$300,000 purse taking her earnings to almost NZ$500,000.
The three-year-old will now head for a well-earned spell before her next assignment, a campaign aimed at the Hawkes Bay's NZ$3.3 Million Kelt Capital Spring Carnival.
Walker and the Te Akau Racing team are no strangers to the NZB Filly of the Year dais. Last year the successful combination took top honours with Shikoba (Chief Bearhart x Summary), owned by the Murray family.
Princess Coup now joins a long list of outstanding NZB Filly of the Year Series winners, who were also victors in the Oaks including, Savannah Success, Alacrity, Tartan Tights, Tycoon Lil, Justa Tad, Bramble Rose, Vapour Trail and Snap.
The 2006-07 NZB Filly of the Year final points table is as follows:
| Horse | Points |
|---|---|
| Princess Coup (Encosta de Lago x Stoneyfell Road) | 39 |
| Veloce Bella (Volksraad x Wave to Lottie) | 26 |
| Dorabella (Postponed x Caserio) | 16 |
| Keep The Passion (Keeper x Impassion) | 8 |
| Irlanda (O'Reilly x Cenphic) | 8 |
| Velvet and Satin (Carnegie x Romanee Conti) | 7.5 |
| Naturo (Postponed�x Rubiton's Best) | 6 |
| Imananabaa (Anabaa x Iman) | 4 |
| Overkaast (Kaapstad x Daytime) | 3.5 |
| Taatyana (Faltaat x Clear Advantage) | 3 |
| Castlebar (Volksraad x Search) | 3 |
| Magic Tryst (Magic Ring�x Our Tristajet) | 3 |
| Santagostino (Giant's Causeway x Devil's Lair) | 2 |
| Sitting on a Hill (City on a Hill x Ivy Darling) | 1.5 |
| Shira (Kilimanjaro x Conistar) | 1.5 |
| Soelin (Stravinsky x Solano) | 1.5 |
| Italia (Stravinsky�x Capote Crossing) | 1.5 |
| Whodat Cugat (King Cugat x Over the Counter) | 1 |
Focus now returns to the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series, which resumes on Sunday at Wingatui with the running of the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1400m).
The first race in the Series, the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m), was taken out in September by the subsequent Group 1 NZB One-Thousand Guineas winner, Dorabella (Postponed x Caserio).