Spotlight Swinging Back to the Southern Fillies
6 March 2009
In the midst of some great stakes racing in the north, the spotlight will swing south on Saturday for the second race in the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series, the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1400m) at Oamaru.
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Metropolitan (rail) and Platinum Zana fight to the wire in the NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes. Photo: Annie Studholme. |
Currently leading the Series on seven points after winning the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton in September, and looking the one to beat, is the John and Karen Parsons-trained Metropolitan (Elusive City x Our Diva by Oregon). She'll be ridden this time by Centaine Spittles who has won two races on the filly and will start from barrier six.
Also from the Balcairn-based Parsons stable is recent maiden winner Triple Star (Kashani x Stars in Your Eyes by Waikiki Star) and Firelight (Fantastic Light x Worship x Irish River).
Firelight got her first win on the board two starts ago before finishing back in the field in the Listed Dunedin Guineas, where Miss Millbrook, Metropolitan and Inferno filled the first three placings. Both Miss Millbrook and Inferno look assured of a start in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Oaks at Trentham next weekend.
Joining Metropolitan on the leaderboard after placing third in the Canterbury Belle is Full Pitch (Stay Tuned x Kartia by Kashani) from the Paul Harris stable. Since the run she's raced in some tough company against the likes of Moveovr, Tell a Tale, Daffodil and Coup Align before being freshened for Saturday's race.
She will be joined by her stable-mate Glamoury (Volksraad x The Faerie Queene by King of Kings) who has one win under her belt and will be ridden by Patrick Holmes from barrier 14.
Shane Kennedy's Missarooy Belle (Van Nistelrooy x Palliser Belle by Jetball) will have her sixth raceday start, looking to add to her two wins and one second placing. Recently she has finished fourth in a rating 80 event over 1400 metres and sixth in a strong Listed Southland Guineas (1600m) field.
Current premiership leading trainer Mark Walker has one runner in the race, Bankside Belle (Volksraad x Chianina by Super Imposing) who showed ability as a juvenile running second to Juice (Bertolini) in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Two-Year-Old Fillies Stakes. Starting for the first time under Jamie Bullard she commenced this preparation nicely with a fresh-up win followed by a second placing over 1200 metres at Riccarton a fortnight ago.
Starting from the widest barrier is Bellalini (Bertolini x Rosa Bella by Prince Raider) for Andrew Scott. The winner of one of seven starts finished second in the Listed Ray Coupland Stakes to Moveovr back in October and has since had three unplaced runs including a close seventh in the Listed Dunedin Guineas just over a month ago.
Producing a nice effort in her last start to finish second in rating 90 against the older horses, Starring (Stravinsky x Showtime by Famous Star) will be ridden by her regular rider, Buddy Lammas for Howie and Lorraine Matthews.
The New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1400m) is scheduled to jump at 3:50pm. The full field is as follows:
| NO. | FORM | HORSE | DRAW | RTG | WGT | JOCKEY | TRAINER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 69X12 | Bankside Belle | 12 | 80 | 56 | Jamie Bullard | Mark Walker, Rangiora |
| 2 | 11324 | Metropolitan | 6 | 78 | 56 | Centaine Spittles (a) | John & Karen Parsons, Balcairn |
| 3 | 0X151 | Bent | 9 | 74 | 56 | Mohd Yusof (a) | Mike & Paul Moroney, Matamata |
| 4 | 11046 | Missarooy Belle | 4 | 70 | 56 | Kylie Williams | Shane Kennedy, Riccarton Park |
| 5 | 32912 | Starring | 5 | 70 | 56 | Buddy Lammas (a) | Howie & Lorraine Mathews, Otaki |
| 6 | 067X1 | Elusive Star | 13 | 69 | 56 | Jarrod Todd | Shane Marr, Riccarton Park |
| 7 | 22451 | Triple Star | 8 | 69 | 56 | Maria Hayston | John & Karen Parsons, Balcairn |
| 8 | 2067 | Bellalini | 15 | 68 | 56 | Lisa Allpress | Andrew Scott, Matamata |
| 9 | 17283 | Betandcollect | 1 | 68 | 56 | Jay Misbah (a) | Mel & Warwick Coles, Washdyke |
| 10 | 23521 | Sapphire Hue | 3 | 68 | 56 | Jason Laking | Jan Hay, Ashburton |
| 11 | 1443 | Abelard | 11 | 67 | 56 | Jillian Morris (a) | Danny Frye, Balcairn |
| 12 | X5619 | Firelight | 10 | 67 | 56 | Ashlee Mundy | John & Karen Parsons, Balcairn |
| 13 | 98445 | Glamoury | 14 | 66 | 56 | Patrick Holmes | Paul Harris, Rangiora |
| 14 | 98906 | Full Pitch | 7 | 65 | 56 | Chris Johnson | Paul Harris, Rangiora |
| 15 | 28X33 | Ms Keeper | 2 | 59 | 56 | Daniel Bothamley | Peter & Dawn Williams, Riccarton Park |
The pace in the four-race Series is set to pick up with the final two races, the New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight Stakes (1600m) and the New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m), at Riccarton on the revised dates, Saturday 4 and Saturday 18 April.