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 the�2005 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. Entered�in 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.