Sunline Vase Shines Spotlight on Oaks Contenders
6 March 2025
The NZB Filly of the Year title has been locked up by Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn), but the two remaining races in the series both carry plenty of prestige in their own right – starting with the $250,000 Group Three Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The Sunline Vase is the 10th leg of the 11-race series and is worth 6 points for the winner, 3 points for second and 1.5 for third. It will be followed by the grand finale, the $1m Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 22, which carries 12, 7 and 3.5 points respectively.
Leica Lucy has earned 28 points from her victories in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). The only fillies within mathematical range are Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) with 21 points and Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) on 15, but Alabama Lass is running in Saturday’s Group Three Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) and Captured By Love is competing in Melbourne.
That means second and third positions on the points table could be there for the taking with strong performances in the Sunline Vase and the Oaks.
Two fillies in the Sunline Vase have already earned NZB Filly of the Year Series points.
Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) picked up 2 points with a third placing in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) in January, having previously run second behind leading Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) contender Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m).
Skymax (NZ) (Ferrando) earned 1.5 points from a third placing in the Eulogy Stakes, which is one of seven times she has finished in the top six in black-type company this season.
Other Sunline Vase contenders include the stakes placegetters Eye Candy (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and This Time Girl (NZ) (Contributer), along with recent maiden winners Deadly Desire (NZ) (Super Seth), Shockabella (NZ) (Shocking) and Wyndsong (NZ) (Wyndspelle).
The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase will be run as Race 2 on a star-studded Champions Day card at Ellerslie on Saturday. The scheduled start time for the Sunline Vase is 12.55pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eye Candy | 7 | Eye Candy (NZ) (Darci Brahma) is a three-quarter-sister to the stakes winner Spine Tingle (NZ) (Super Easy). Eye Candy was a convincing all-the-way winner of a 1600-metre maiden race at Ruakaka in December, then stepped up to stakes company and didn't have all favours in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m). She improved sharply for a last-start second behind Hinekaha (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m). | ||
| 2 | Island Life | 5 | Sir Peter Vela's homebred filly Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) showed early promise with a second and a win in her first two appearances in the spring. That earned her a step up into stakes company, where she finished second in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m). She was beaten in a photo finish by Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci), who has gone on to place in the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and win the Group Two Waikato Guineas (2000m). He is among the leading chances for Saturday's Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m). Since then, Island Life has finished fifth in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), third in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m), and sixth when she returned from a freshen-up in a 1500-metre Rating 65 at Pukekohe last month. | ||
| 3 | Skymax | 4 | Skymax (NZ) (Ferrando) has been admirably consistent in black-type company all season, finishing sixth in the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), sixth in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), third in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), sixth in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m), fifth in the Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), fifth in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) and fourth in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m) | ||
| 4 | This Time Girl | 6 | Bought for just $10,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2023, This Time Girl (NZ) (Contributer) has had four starts for a win, a third, two fifths and $25,445 in stakes. She added valuable black type to her CV with a last-start third in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m). | Karaka 2023, Book 2 | Phill Cataldo Bloodstock, $10,000 |
| 5 | Deadly Desire | 2 | Deadly Desire (NZ) is by exciting stallion Super Seth and is a half-sister to the Group One winner Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock). The Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Deadly Desire heads into this race on an upward trajectory, having scored a last-start maiden win over 1600 metres at Pukekohe on February 23. | ||
| 6 | Shockabella | 8 | Te Akau Racing's David Ellis paid $180,000 to buy Shockabella (NZ) (Shocking) from the 2023 Ready to Run Sale. Shockabella scored an impressive maiden victory over 1800 metres at Taupo on February 26, dominating the race from the front and kicking away in the straight. | 2023 Ready to Run Sale | DC Ellis, $180,000 |
| 7 | Wyndsong | 1 | Wyndsong (NZ) (Wyndspelle) made a good impression with a maiden victory over 1600 metres at Ellerslie on February 1. That earned her a shot at the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa, where she finished sixth and was beaten by 6.5 lengths by the summer's dominant filly Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn). | 2022 National Weanling Sale | Phill Cataldo Bloodstock/Global Bloodstock, $15,000 |
| 8 | Miller's Point | 3 | Miller's Point (NZ) (Blue Point) is still a maiden but has been an improver throughout her four-race career, finishing sixth, sixth and fourth before an eye-catching second at Te Rapa on January 31. |