Royal Stakes Win for Keep the Passion

The Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes at Ellerslie on New Years Day saw Keep the Passion (Keeper x Impassion) defeat a strong field of three-year-old fillies to secure her first points on the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series leader-board.

The Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott stable teamed up with in-form hoop Bruce Herd to score a decisive win over current Series leader Dorabella (Postponed x Caserio) in second and Velvet and Satin (Carnegie x Romanee Conti) in third.

Handling the step up in distance to 2000 metres to secure her share of the NZ$120,000 purse, Keep the Passion will continue towards the stable's target of the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) on 17 March.

O'Sullivan purchased the filly at the2005 Karaka Select Yearling Sale from her breeders, The Oaks Stud, for NZ$77,500.

From the first crop of Keeper, Keep the Passion joins Group 2 Sandown Guineas winner, Sender, and Listed Ryder Stakes winner, Keep the Message, as stakes winners for the Cambridge Stud based sire. Enteredin the upcoming National Yearling Sales Series at the end of this month are 10 fillies and 18 colts by the Group 1 winning son of Danehill.

Now past the half-way mark in the ten-race Series with just four races to go, Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock One-Thousand Guineas winner, Dorabella's second placing extended her lead to 16 points, five more than Princess Coup (Encosta de Lago x Stoneyfell Road), who sits in second place on 11 points. Keep the Passion secures a third equal spot on eight points with Irlanda (O'Reilly x Cenphic) and Veloce Bella (Volksraad x Wave to Lottie). Just behind these is Velvet and Satin on 7.5 points.

The next race in the Series, the Gr. 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), will be hosted by Wellington Racing Club on 27 January. On offer there will be 6 points for the winner, 3 for second and 1.5 for third.