Singapore Sling too Strong in Soliloquy Stakes

New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Singapore Sling won her first race of the season with an exceptional performance in the second leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's Filly of the Year Series, the $45,000 Listed Soliloquy Lodge Stakes (1400m).

A daughter of international Group 1 winner Starcraft, Singapore Sling (ex Gin Sling) produced one of the standout performances of the Ellerslie meeting coming from the back of the field to beat race favourite, Dating (O'Reilly).

After jumping well, Vinnie Colgan slowly eased Singapore Sling to the back of the pack with the talented Dating settling in mid-field. Rounding the 600 metres, the daughter of Starcraft was travelling well but had plenty to do after being forced five wide on the turn as race leader Cool Storm (One Cool Cat) broke for home. Seeming to revel in the heavy going, Singapore Sling produced a strong kick at the 350 metre mark to claim race leader Cool Storm before reeling in Dating to win by a nose at the post.

Sold for just $15,000 in the 2009 Karaka Select Yearling Sale, Singapore Sling capped off a successful weekend for her sire Starcraft - himself a Karaka graduate - who notched up a trans-Tasman treble on Saturday.

In a short career spanning only four starts, the Sildi Bloodstock owned filly has won two of her four starts including her bold front-running win as a two-year-old in the Brighthill Farm Juvenile to earn over $30,000 in stakes.

Race favourite Dating put in another strong performance after her unlucky third in the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and race leader Cool Storm was also impressive, running on bravely for a length away third.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series is starting to heat up with Rememba Howe (Handsome Ransom) remaining in first place on six points, Singapore Sling moves straight to second on four points and Dating third on three and a half points. The next leg of the Series is the $300,000 Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on 13 November.

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates took out the other feature race of the Ellerslie meeting, the Listed $45,000 ARC Bonecrusher Stakes.

In a field that promised to produce a strong race it did not disappoint, with Hoofit (Mossman x Chuckle) and Sweet Suitor (Bachelor Duke x Holy Honey) heading the pack at the 350 metre mark and fighting all the way to the post, with Hoofit winning by a nose.

The Stephen McKee trained Hoofit, owned by Sir Patrick Hogan, Alistair Sutherland, Tony Timpson & Peter Walker was purchased in the 2009 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale for $60,000. Saturday's win was the second for the son of Mossman, the first coming as a two-year-old. From 11 race day starts, Hoofit has earned over $60,000 in stakes.

Runner up, the talented Sweet Suitor, showed he has plenty more to offer after his impressive last start win. The Bachelor Duke three-year-old, also sold by New Zealand Bloodstock in the 2009 Karaka Select Yearling Sale was bought by Rogerson Bloodstock for only $12,000.