Shikoba Secures Coveted New Zealand Bloodstock 'Filly of the Year' Title
6 March 2006
Shikoba Secures Coveted New Zealand Bloodstock 'Filly of the Year' Title
The Group 3 Devan Plastics Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Trentham on Saturday was a nail biter for the connections of one filly in particular, who wasn't even a starter in the penultimate feature of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.
Shikoba Secures Coveted New Zealand Bloodstock 'Filly of the Year' Title
The Group 3 Devan Plastics Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Trentham on Saturday was a nail biter for the connections of one filly in particular, who wasn't even a starter in the penultimate feature of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.
With the Murray Baker trained, Molta (Danske x Heaps), upstaging her more fancied rivals with a win on Saturday, she handed an unassailable lead to star filly, Shikoba (Chief Bearhart x Summary), in the prestigious race series for New Zealand's three-year-old fillies.
Although the Mark Walker trained Shikoba was absent from Saturday's field, with just one race left in the Series - the Gr.1 New Zealand Bloodstock New Zealand Oaks (2400m) - her 12 point lead can now only be challenged by Seachange who is an unlikely Oaks starter due to injury.
This earns Shikoba the coveted title of New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year, joining the ranks of previous winners such as Justa Tad, Taatletail, Bramble Rose and Vapour Trail.
Shikoba has already secured three legs in the Series, with wins in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m), the Gr.2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes (2000m) and the Gr.2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic.� She is set to line up in the Gr.1�New Zealand Bloodstock New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on 18 March.�
Molta's win was one of five on the Wellington card for rider David Walsh, with the experienced jockey taking advantage of the lack of speed in the event, allowing her to push forward before proving too strong in the straight.
The John Sargent pair of Sharvasti (Montjeu x Vedodara) and Everswindell (Align x Hilarion Lady) made good ground in the straight but never looked likely to catch Molta on the rain affected going.
Molta was purchased for NZ$15,000 at the 2004 New Zealand Bloodstock Festival Sale from the draft of Brighthill Farm. The filly has now won three of her ten starts with a further two placings.
Runner-up, Sharvasti, is a half sister to stakes winners Bhandara and Shastri. A full sister to the filly fetched NZ$300,000 to the bid of Japan's Mr Yoshida at the recent New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.
The Kevin Gray trained Legs (Pins x River Century) started favourite but failed to handle the conditions, beaten by more than seven lengths.
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�Shikoba: 2006 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year |