Second Leg of NZB Southern Filly Series Shifts to Boxing Day
23 December 2024
The NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series has a different look this year, with the second leg making a move in the calendar from its previous position in March.
The $100,000 Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) will now take place at Wingatui on Boxing Day, and the race has drawn a highly talented field for this week’s first running on that new date.
There are seven winners among the field for the NZB Insurance Stakes, which is worth 7 points for the winner in the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series. The second placegetter will earn 4 points, with 2 points for third.
Raziah (NZ) (Niagara) currently heads the table with 7 points courtesy of her win in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton in September, with that race’s placegetters Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard) and Lavender Haze (Dubious) on 4 and 2 points respectively. None of that trio will line up at Wingatui on Boxing Day.
Instead, the spotlight will be on a promising group of up-and-comers who could go on to be the stars of the rest of the series, which will conclude in April with the running of the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) and Listed NZB Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton.
Key contenders include the last-start winners Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns), Lil Zena (NZ) (U S Navy Flag), Lillian (NZ) (War Decree) and Misspeebee (NZ) (War Decree).
The NZB Insurance Stakes will be run as Race 7 at Wingatui on Boxing Day, with a scheduled start time of 3:31pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pivotal Ten | 7 | Ten Sovereigns filly Pivotal Ten (NZ) is a half-sister to the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) placegetter Woodcote Lass (NZ) (Showcasing). Pivotal Ten has herself had four starts for two wins and two placings, scoring back-to-back wins at Wingatui and Timaru in her two most recent appearances. | 2022 National Weanling Sale | CM Wightman, $15,000 |
| 2 | Lil Zena | 2 | Lil Zena (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) showed bright potential in a three-start campaign as a two-year-old, finishing third on debut before running third again in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) and fifth in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m). She resumed with an eye-catching finish for fourth in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) in September, then ran another two fourths and a sixth in the Group Three War Decree Stakes (1600m). She broke through for a well deserved maiden win at Riccarton in her most recent appearance on November 13. Carlaw Park will offer a half-brother to Lil Zena at Karaka 2025. The colt by Almanzor will go through the ring in Book 1 as Lot 420. | ||
| 3 | Lillian | 10 | The Terri Rae-trained Lillian (NZ) (War Decree) brings a perfect one-start, one-win record into this race. She made her debut at Ashburton on December 18 and stretched out strongly down the straight to win by a half-neck over NZB Insurance Stakes rival Sheaintsopeachy (NZ) (Rageese). | ||
| 4 | Loose Sally | 1 | Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) made a big impression with a last-to-first performance to win on debut at this track in early November. In her only other start at Cromwell on November 29, she was hanging throughout the race but still made up ground in the straight to finish eighth. | ||
| 5 | Misspeebee | 12 | From the stable of last season's NZB Southern Filly of the Year Epee Beel (Epaulette), the promising Misspeebee (NZ) (War Decree) finished fourth on debut in late September before improving with a third at Riccarton in November and a determined last-start maiden win at Ashburton. | ||
| 6 | Rapid | 11 | Rapid (NZ) (Darci Brahma) was a $30,000 purchase by trainer Robert Dennis from Book 2 of Karaka 2023. She was a debut winner at Oamaru in September, then was unplaced in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) in her second career start. She ran a last-start seventh at Ascot Park on December 14. | Karaka 2023, Book 2 | Robert Dennis Racing, $30,000 |
| 7 | Star Shadow | 9 | David Ellis and Fortuna Racing paid $35,000 to buy Star Shadow (NZ) (Reliable Man) from Book 2 of Karaka 2023. She impressed with a winning debut at Otaki in April, then performed creditably at black-type level when finishing fifth in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m) and eighth in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m). In her only start as a three-year-old, she finished at the back of a small field at Trentham on December 7. She was within five lengths of the winner, however, and the runner-up Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) has gone on to win the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m). | Karaka 2023, Book 2 | DC Ellis/Fortuna Racing, $35,000 |
| 8 | Sheaintsopeachy | 3 | Sheaintsopeachy (NZ) (Rageese) has shown improving form through her four-race career, finishing fifth at Timaru in her first two starts and then running fourth at Cromwell and a close last-start second at Ashburton. She was beaten by only half a neck by NZB Insurance Stakes rival Lillian (NZ) (War Decree). | ||
| 9 | Lady Diva | 4 | In a two-start career, Lady Diva (NZ) (Eminent) has finished third at Cromwell on November 29 and a last-start fifth at Ascot Park on December 14. | ||
| 10 | Respectabelle | 13 | A $10,000 purchase from the 2022 National Weanling Sale, Respectabelle (NZ) (Belardo) has had only one start so far. She made her debut at Ashburton on December 18 and finished a close fourth over 1200 metres. | 2022 National Weanling Sale | Te Keeti Bloodstock, $10,000 |
| 11 | Almanda | 5 | Almanzor filly Almanda (NZ) was unplaced in her only North Island start in October, then moved south and made up late ground when ninth over 1220 metres at Cromwell on November 29. | ||
| 12 | Arctic Ocean | 6 | First-starter Arctic Ocean (NZ) (Ocean Park) has had three trials, including a third placing over 1000 metres at Foxton on September 18. | ||
| 13 | Rings Of Satin | 8 | Embellish filly Rings Of Satin (NZ) has had three starts. She showed promising signs with a sixth and seventh over sprint distances in her first two appearances, then stepped up to 1600 metres and was unplaced at Timaru. She is dropping back down in trip for this race. | ||
| 14 | Sight To See | 14 | Trainer Kelvin Tyler paid just $6000 to buy Sight To See (NZ) (Time Test) from Book 2 of Karaka 2023. This will be the raceday debut for the Time Test filly, who has not been seen at the trials. | Karaka 2023, Book 2 | KL Tyler, $6,000 |