Royal Victory in the G3 Desert Gold Stakes

Savabeel appears to have produced another top-class filly after Duchess Kate (NZ) (Savabeel) won the Group 3 $70,000 Wellfield Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday, the sixth leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.

Seven of Savabeel’s 10 Group 1 winners are females and he has already produced two Oaks winners, Scarlett Lady (NZ) and Savaria (NZ), with Duchess Kate likely to head towards the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks.

Duchess Kate made her debut in April last year with a sixth placing. This season as a three-year-old the daughter of Savabeel has won three of her last five, including a last start victory over the highly rated Hiflyer (NZ) (Tavistock) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

On Saturday, the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trained filly broke brilliantly from barrier 12 and rider Matt Cameron settled her in the first four behind, the front runners Maritimo (NZ) (Pins) and another Savebeel filly Goodsav (NZ), before Cameron steered the brown filly to challenge the leaders on the final turn.

Duchess Kate took the lead early in the home straight and responded willingly to dig deep over the final stages to win by a long neck over Bella Court (NZ) (Per Incanto), with Strada Cavallo (NZ) (Alamosa) half-a-length back in third.

“We’ve known for a while she’s special,” commented Autridge. “She’s been very tough to handle but we have looked after her, it’s taken us six months to get her right. She will now head to the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic at Te Rapa in a fortnight.

“She’s now a contender for NZB Filly of the Year Series, and for a breeder that’s a big plus. She holds a nomination for the New Zealand Oaks. If something happens and she doesn’t run in the New Zealand Oaks, I have Queensland at the back of my mind.”

Bred and raced by Sydney based owner Max Whitby, Duchess Kate scored her third win from seven starts with earnings of $63,675.

Duchess Kate is out of Royal Prize, making her a full-sister to Saavoya (NZ) (Savabeel), winner of last season’s Group 2 Eight Carat Stakes and the Group 2 Royal Stakes, and runner-up last year’s NZB Filly of the Year Series.

Collecting 6 points for her Group 3 victory, Duchess Kate is now fifth equal on the ladder for the NZB Filly of the Year Series, with only four races remaining.

The brilliant winner of the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas Risque (NZ) (Darci Brahma) leads the NZB Filly of the Year Series with 12 points. Strada Cavallo earned 1.5 points in the Series for her third placing on Saturday, taking her total to 8.5 points. There is a tie for third place with Capella (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) and Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi) on 8 points each.

Bella Court is the new leader of the Wellfield Triple Crown Series following her second placing. She also finished second in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes, which was the first leg of the Series.

The final race of the Wellfield Triple Crown, and the Filly of the Year Series, is the Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks on 19 March at Trentham.

To view the NZB Filly of the Year Leaderboard, click here.