Star Stablemates Clash in Fillies’ Classic
11 February 2022
Two of the top three fillies on the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series points table are set to clash in Saturday’s eighth leg, and both come from a stable inextricably linked to this Te Rapa feature.
The $110,000 Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) is now sponsored in perpetuity by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis and Karyn Fenton-Ellis – both former chairs of the Waikato Racing Club.
Te Akau Racing and trainer Jamie Richards scored a fitting Fillies’ Classic victory 12 months ago with Filly of the Year Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel), and they return on Saturday with two shots at a repeat result.
Both Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy) and Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking) head into Saturday’s race as last-start Group Two winners – Belle En Rouge in the Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day, and Self Obsession in the Royal Stakes (2000m) a week later.
Belle En Rouge tops the Filly of the Year table with 19 points, courtesy of victories in the Eight Carat and Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), plus placings in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). Self Obsession earned 8 points through her Royal Stakes success.
With 8 points available to the winner, the Fillies’ Classic gives Belle En Rouge the opportunity to extend her Filly of the Year Series lead if she can continue her winning streak – or Self Obsession could narrow the gap by upstaging her stablemate.
Outside of the top two, Saturday’s field also features three other fillies who already have Filly of the Year Series points to their name.
Princess Lowry (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) has picked up 6 points through placings in the Eight Carat Classic and Royal Stakes, while Achieve (NZ) (Pierro) and Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) earned 3 points apiece with their runner-up finishes in the Eulogy Stakes and Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) respectively.
Glory Bound (NZ) (Tavistock) and Canadian Girl (NZ) (Vancouver) have made an impression with recent performances in lower grades, while maiden filly Third Time Round (NZ) (Tivaci) was a last-start fourth in the Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m).
The David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic will be run as Race 6 at Te Rapa on Saturday, with a start time of 3.25pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER | TRAINER | JOCKEY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belle En Rouge | 4 | Setting the pace in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series with 19 points, Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy) placed in the Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) before scoring back-to-back wins in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m). This is her first attempt at 2000 metres. | Jamie Richards | Opie Bosson | ||
| 2 | Self Obsession | 10 | One of the least experienced runners in the field with only three starts to her name, Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking) debuted with a third placing at Tauranga in November. She was an easy maiden winner at the same venue two weeks later, then joined the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series with a determined victory in the Group Two Royal Stakes (2000m). She sits in third place on the table with 8 points. | Jamie Richards | Michael McNab | ||
| 3 | Achieve | 2 | Well-related filly Achieve (NZ) (Pierro) was a $375,000 purchase at Karaka 2020 and is closely related to Group One stars such as The Jewel (NZ) (O'Reilly), The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) and The Perfect Pink (NZ) (Savabeel). A maiden winner at her second start, Achieve stepped up to stakes grade with a second in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and a last-start fifth in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m). | Karaka 2020, Book 1 | RA James & R Wellwood, $375,000 | Roger James & Robert Wellwood | Ryan Elliot |
| 4 | Princess Lowry | 5 | Although she is still a maiden after four starts, Princess Lowry (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) has proven herself at this level with placings in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and Royal Stakes (2000m). She has earned 6 points in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series. | Team Rogerson | Lynsey Satherley | ||
| 5 | Mustang Valley | 7 | Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) has lined up in almost every race in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series so far, finishing second in the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), fifth in the Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), fifth in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), sixth in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and fifth in the Group Two Royal Stakes (2000m). | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Vinnie Colgan | ||
| 6 | Glory Bound | 3 | Fifth in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) in her first taste of black-type racing in the spring, promising filly Glory Bound (NZ) (Tavistock) has come back a better filly in recent weeks with a four-length win at Matamata on January 12 and a close third in a strong three-year-old race at Ellerslie on January 30. | Stephen Autridge & Kris Shailer | Craig Grylls | ||
| 7 | Canadian Girl | 8 | Canadian Girl (NZ) (Vancouver) has been a big improver since finishing second-last on debut in early November, with her three subsequent appearances producing a fourth, a second and a last-start win. The improved performances have coincided with increasing distances. | Karaka 2020, Book 1 | Richardson Racing, $95,000 | Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall | Joe Kamaruddin |
| 8 | Bigiff | 1 | Bred and raced by Don Pye and Dame Wendy Pye, Bigiff (NZ) (Iffraaj) was unplaced in her first five starts but turned things around in style when she stepped up to 2200 metres at Rotorua on December 28. She won a two-horse battle by a head, with the rest of the field six lengths behind the first pair. She didn't have much luck in the running when unplaced at Te Rapa on January 19. | Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall | Ashvin Goindasamy | ||
| 9 | Third Time Round | 9 | Tivaci filly Third Time Round (NZ) has had six starts for only two placings, but her last two starts have been impressive performances in Group company at Trentham. She finished a close fifth in the Group Two Wellington Guineas (1400m), then fourth in the Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m). | Chrissy Bambry | Leith Innes | ||
| 10 | Sadler's Chick | 6 | Promising staying filly Sadler's Chick (NZ) (Savabeel) stormed home for fourth on debut in early December, then was thrown straight in at the deep end when unplaced in the Group Two Royal Stakes (2000m) in the second start of her career. She ran a solid race for third at Hastings on January 27. | Karaka 2020, Book 1 | Go Racing, $180,000 | Stephen Marsh | Matthew Cameron |
| 11 | Firebug | 11 | Firebug (NZ) (Shamexpress) has had five starts and has yet to finish closer than seventh. | Paul Mirabelli | Trudy Thornton |