Southern Fillies Begin Battle

The New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series begins tomorrow at Riccarton with the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m).

The race is the first of four New Zealand Bloodstock sponsored Listed races that comprise the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series, with the eventual winner having collected the most number of points over all four contests.

The $45,000 prize-pool on Saturday has attracted a sizeable field of �12 fillies who will chase the available seven points for first, three for second and one for third.

Hot favourite for tomorrow's Canterbury Belle Stakes is last season's Group 2 Matamata Breeders Stakes winner Te Akau Rose (Thorn Park x Straussbridge by Straussbrook).

The Mark Walker trained filly, who is currently being trained out of the champion trainer's Rangiora base in preparation for the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas in November, resumed with a tidy second, a nose behind One Swanstonstreet, in the Listed Wanganui Fillies Classic two weeks ago.

Wearing the number one saddlecloth on Saturday will be Lesley Brook (No Excuse Needed x Polka, by Groom Dancer) who is rated one point higher than Te Akau Rose by the handicapper. A trial win for trainer Terry Kennedy has readied the three time winner who captured the Listed Ford Welcome Stakes on debut last season.

Kevin Hughes & Steven Kellow trained Brown Eyed Grace (Van Nistelrooy x Lycsis, Final Card) arrives in the race as the winner of two of three starts including the Berkley Stud Spring Prelude 3YO (1200) over this very same course and distance two weeks ago.

She defeated Mark Walker's Croix Du Sud (Howbaddouwantit x Fairdale Lass, by Centaine), Michael Pitman's Ginger Crunch Coup (Howbaddouwantit x Besty Coup, by Justice Prevails ), and Mike and Paul Moroney's Whimsical Notion (Captain Rio x Specere, by Spectrum) in that event and all are included amongst her rivals at Riccarton.

Terri Rae's Ishiabeel (Ishiguru x Danceabeel, by Zabeel) is a last start winner of Newstalk ZB Premier 3YO, again over the same course and distance as the Canterbury Belle Stakes. She is yet to strike a good track and her ability on top of the ground will be essential to her performance on tomorrow's currently rated Good 3 track.

A very interesting runner has been accepted at the very bottom of the racebook. Bellonet (Hussonet x Redoutes Belle, by Redoute's Choice), a $100,000 Karaka yearling purchase by Citrus Bloodstock, will debut in the Listed event for her trainers Peter & Dawn Williams after a nice trial victory.

The beautifully bred filly's dam, Redoute's Belle, will be sold at Lot 9 in New Zealand Bloodstock's Spring Mixed Bloodstock Sale next Friday, with her value to be greatly influenced by the performance of Bellonet tomorrow.

Four runners who have not finished further back than fourth between them make-up the rest of the strong field including Sandie (Footstepsinthesand x Shana, by Darshaan) for Mark Walker, Wellsey (Yamanin Vital x Tarradiddle, by Casual Lies) for Jan Hay, and Wine'nsoda (Bertolini x Spritza, by Grosvenor) and Raewyn Coup (Mossman x Bell of the Ball, by Fairy King) for Michael Pitman.

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�2008/09 NZB South Island Filly of the Year Bird

Last season Danasinga filly Bird was crowned New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year after winning the NZB Warstep Stakes (2000m), the very last race in the series. In 2007-08 Belmont Cat (Felix the Cat) won the Series and was subsequently sold to America where she has now won twice including the Group 2 Santa Anita Santa Ana Handicap (1800m).

Click here to view past winners of the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series. Click here more information on this year's Series.

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