Southern Filly Series Heats Up in NZB Airfreight Stakes
13 April 2023
The next two Saturdays are set to make all the difference in the 2022-23 New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series, with the all-important final two legs being staged in quick succession at Riccarton Park – starting with this weekend’s $65,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m).
The first and second legs of the series – the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) and the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) – had different fillies filling all of the placings, creating a logjam on the points table.
Canterbury Belle Stakes winner One Kiss (NZ) (Tivaci) and NZB Insurance Stakes winner Romancing The Moon (NZ) (El Roca) share top spot with 7 points each. Perfectly Suited (NZ) (Savile Row) and Betty Spaghetti (Stratum Star) have 4 points apiece, while Kikimora (NZ) (Shamexpress) and Miss Dunsford (Dissident) have each picked up 2 points.
Like each of the other three legs of the series, this Saturday’s NZB Airfreight Stakes is worth 7 points for the winner, with 4 for second and 2 for third.
NZB Insurance Stakes placegetters Betty Spaghetti and Miss Dunsford are both back this weekend, giving them the opportunity to move to the top of the points table with a victory.
But Saturday’s field also features a number of newcomers to the series, many of whom bring strong credentials.
The blue-blooded Luella Cristina is by Snitzel out of the multiple Group One winner Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel), and the Stephen Marsh-trained filly lived up to that family reputation with a last-start third placing in the Group One Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham.
Family Ties (NZ) (Contributer) ventures down from the North Island with a Listed victory under her belt, while Maryweka (NZ) (Time Test), Stolen Decree (NZ) (War Decree), Derryaire (NZ) (Derryn) and (NZ) (Burgundy) were all impressive last-start winners.
The NZB Airfreight Stakes will be run as Race 6 at Riccarton Park on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 3.07pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
| 1 | Luella Cristina | 1 | Few horses in New Zealand can match the pedigree credentials of Luella Cristina, who is by champion Australian sire Snitzel out of the multiple Group One-winning mare Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel). Trained by Stephen Marsh for owner-breeder Lib Petagna's JML Bloodstock, Luella Cristina has shown her share of that family ability. She won both of her first two starts, then finished fifth in the Listed Mufhasa Stakes (1400m) before an outstanding last-start third in the Group One Levin Classic (1600m). | ||
| 2 | Maryweka | 5 | Maryweka (NZ) (Time Test) was bred by the Wallace family and is raced by one of their Galloping Wekas syndicates - the same formula that has produced this autumn's dual Oaks winner Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin). Maryweka has won three of her eight starts to date, including convincing back-to-back victories in her two most recent appearances. | ||
| 3 | Family Ties | 10 | Bought by Te Akau Racing's David Ellis for $60,000 from the 2021 Ready to Run Sale, Family Ties (NZ) (Contributer) has made a good impression in her eight-start career. She has won two races including the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m), and she has also run fifth in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), a close and unlucky sixth in the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m), and a last-start eighth in the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m). | 2021 Ready to Run Sale | DC Ellis, $60,000 |
| 4 | Miss Dunsford | 2 | Miss Dunsford (Dissident) began her career in Australia, where she won on debut at Pakenham and later placed at Group Three level in Adelaide. Since crossing the Tasman, Miss Dunsford has had five starts for a win and three placings. She ran third in last month's Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m), earning 2 points in the NZB Southern Filly Series. | ||
| 5 | Stolen Decree | 8 | A daughter of promising local sire War Decree, the John and Karen Parsons-trained Stolen Decree (NZ) has had 10 starts for two wins and three placings. Her last-start performance was her most impressive yet, producing a powerful finish from third-last to win by two and a half lengths at Ashburton on April 5. | ||
| 6 | Betty Spaghetti | 6 | Bought by Robert Dennis Racing for just $20,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2021, Betty Spaghetti (Stratum Star) has barely put a foot wrong in her five-start career to date. She has recorded a win, two seconds, a third and a fourth, earning $37,055 in stakes. She was a last-start second placegetter in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m), earning 4 points in the NZB Southern Filly Series. | Karaka 2021, Book 1 | Robert Dennis Racing, $20,000 |
| 7 | Doddle | 3 | Doddle (NZ) (Dundeel) races in the same green and pink colours as Reputabelle (NZ) (Pins), who took out this race last year on her way to winning the NZB Southern Filly of the Year title. Doddle was a $20,000 purchase by Brewers Bloodstock at Karaka 2021, and her three-start career has produced a win, a second and a third. | Karaka 2021, Book 1 | Brewers Bloodstock, $20,000 |
| 8 | Alminette | 9 | Alminette (NZ) (Burgundy) was picked out by David Ellis for $52,500 from Book 2 of Karaka 2021. She has had six starts for a win and four placings, and this will be her first attempt at black-type level. | Karaka 2021, Book 2 | DC Ellis, $52,500 |
| 9 | Derryaire | 11 | Derryn filly Derryaire (NZ) finished third in both of her first two starts, on December 16 and January 12. In her only appearance since then, she scored a dominant win by more than two lengths at Tauherenikau on February 6. She was a trial winner at Otaki on March 21. | ||
| 10 | Miss Layla | 7 | Another bargain Karaka purchase by Robert Dennis Racing, Miss Layla (NZ) (Burgundy) cost only $20,000 despite being a daughter of the Group Two winner La Etoile (NZ) (Thorn Park). Miss Layla has had only two starts to date, finishing second on debut on March 16 before winning at Ashburton on April 5. | Karaka 2021, Book 2 | Robert Dennis Racing, $20,000 |
| 11 | Madame Giselle | 4 | Madame Giselle (NZ) (Time Test) was an $80,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2021. She has picked up a win and a placing from her seven-start career to date, and finished just behind the placegetters when eighth in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) and sixth in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m). | Karaka 2021, Book 2 | Champagne Racing Stables, $80,000 |