Strong Start to the NZB Filly of the Year Series

Saturday saw the launch of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year and the Southern Filly of the Year Series with the Group 3 Hawke's Bay Breeders Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) in Hastings and the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.

With all of the early signs pointing to another cracking crop of three-year-old fillies, the Gold Trail Stakes attracted a strong field of 12 fillies including last season's champion two-year-old Banchee and the last start winner of the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m), Dating.�

However, it was the Evan and J J Rayner trained Rememba Howe (Handsome Ransom x Yachting Magic) who took the honours in the 1200 metre event backing up from a smart win in the Listed event at Wanganui on 4 September.

From barrier one Lisa Allpress elected to race Rememba Howe mid-field and after managing to get the filly off the rail mid-race the three-year-old sustained a strong kick from the back of the field to win by half-a-length. Zennista (Zenno Rob Roy x Zarnitsa) produced a brave effort for second place and managed to turn the table on Dating (O'Reilly x Mandate), who narrowly beat her home in the Listed Ryder Stakes last season, with her finishing a nose third.

The G3 Gold Trail Stakes was the sixth start for Rememba Howe and gives her the early lead in the Filly of the Year Series with six points. Zennista holds second place with three points and Dating in third with one and a half points.�

The next leg of the Series is this Saturday with the running of the Listed Soliloquy Lodge Stakes over 1400 metres at Ellerslie with a stake of $45,000.

Saturday also saw the start of the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series at Riccarton with the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes over 1200 metres.�

The race attracted nine runners and a good field of fillies however it was ultra-consistent Princess Emmy (King's Chapel x Hoot N' Holler) who took the first leg of the Series.� The John Sargent trained mount handled the tough going well and produced a stunning effort in the hands of David Walsh, winning the feature race by four-and-a-half-lengths.

Castledale filly Miss Maximuss (ex Missprynt) continued her good form and raced well for second after winning her maiden over 1200 metres last start, she has now raced on five occasions and has never been out of the placings. A bargain purchase by Mr S Blair-Edie from Te Runga Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2009 South Island Sale of Two-Year-Olds for $500, the filly has now earned over $15,000 in stakes.

This win was the second for Princess Emmy, her first coming in a two-year-old handicap over 1200 metres last season and has only been out of the money once in six race-day appearances. She now leads after the opening of the Southern Filly of the Year Series with seven points and has earned over $46,000 in stakes. Miss Maximuss is in second place in the Series with three points and Andromache in third with one point.

The next leg of the Series, the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1400m) is due to be held on March 12 next year at the Otago Racing Club and holds a stake of $45,000.