Third Leg Set to Have Big Impact in Southern Filly Series
14 April 2016
It’s all tied up at the top of the leaderboard in this year’s NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series, and Saturday’s third leg, the $50,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton, is set to have a huge impact on the Series.
Canterbury Belle Stakes winner Windborne (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and NZB Airfreight Stakes winner Honor That (NZ) (Darci Brahma) share the Series lead with 7 points each. Neither runner will line up on Saturday, so the Series lead is there for the taking.
The highest ranked filly in Saturday’s race is Cantilena (NZ) (Per Incanto), who earned 3 points when she finished second to Honor That in the NZB Airfreight Stakes. The other runner in the field who features on the table is Princess Davone (NZ) (Iffraaj), who has 1 point courtesy of her third placing in the NZB Airfreight Stakes.
Saturday’s race has drawn a big field of 19 fillies, including last-start winners Alyth (NZ) (Librettist), Sleek Secret (NZ) (Sakhee’s Secret), No Pushover (NZ) (Pins) and Poetic Affair (NZ) (Thewayyouare).
Goodsav (NZ) (Savabeel) was second against older mares in the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes last start, while Deedee Panache (NZ) (Darci Brahma) ran fourth in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas two starts back.
The winner of Saturday’s race will earn 7 series points, with 3 points for second and 1 for third.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Goodsav | 15 | A highly rated visitor from the Hastings stable of Patrick Campbell, Goodsav (NZ) (Darci Brahma) ran second against older mares in the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes at Trentham last start, two lengths behind the high-class mare Rasa Lila (NZ) (Darci Brahma). | Patrick Campbell | |
| 2 | Alyth | 12 | Although disappointing in the NZB Airfreight Stakes, Alyth (NZ) (Librettist) has proven her quality with a placing in the Listed Southland Guineas and an impressive last-start win at Wingatui. | John & Karen Parsons | |
| 3 | Cantilena | 11 | Cantilena (NZ) (Per Incanto) has had nine starts for three wins and three placings. She sits in third place on the Southern Filly standings, courtesy of a second placing in the NZB Airfreight Stakes, and she can take the outright lead if she wins this. | Lance Robinson | Samantha Wynne |
| 4 | Deedee Panache | 6 | Trained at Awapuni by Jeff Lynds, Deedee Panache (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has hardly run a bad race in her seven-start career including a close fourth behind The Justice League (NZ) (I Am Invincible) in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas. | Jeff Lynds | Terry Moseley |
| 5 | Princess Davone | 17 | Trained in the north but racing exclusively in the South Island this season, Princess Davone (NZ) (Iffraaj) has had eight starts this campaign for five top-four finishes at black-type level. | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Doni Prastiyou |
| 6 | All In Vogue | 3 | A daughter of Group One-winning mare Tall Poppy (NZ) (Kaapstad), All In Vogue (NZ) (Pins) was stakes-placed in the Listed Bob Sharrock Memorial Oaks Prelude three starts ago. | Kevin Gray | |
| 7 | Sleek Secret | 13 | Lining up for a first shot at stakes level, Sleek Secret (NZ) (Sakhee's Secret) has had 10 starts for two wins and three placings. | Ralph Manning | Krishna Mudhoo |
| 8 | Queen Serene | 7 | A daughter of the stakes winner Queenza (NZ) (King Of Kings), Queen Serene (NZ) (Thorn Park) finished seventh in the NZB Airfreight Stakes but has recorded a win and a placing in her two starts since. | Michael & Matthew Pitman | Marco Chui |
| 9 | Black Sav | 9 | Highly rated Awapuni filly Black Sav (NZ) (Savabeel) is dropping back in distance after a disappointing unplaced finish in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes (2100m). | Lisa Latta | |
| 10 | No Pushover | 10 | No Pushover (NZ) (Pins) was eighth in her only previous black-type race, the Listed Bob Sharrock Memorial Oaks Prelude, but she has won or placed in all of her other starts. | Shaune Ritchie | |
| 11 | Not Available | 1 | Battle Paint filly Not Available (NZ) won at this course two starts back and has been unlucky since. | Mike McCann | Shankar Muniandy |
| 12 | Poetic Affair | 8 | Having previously competed at Group 3 level, northern visitor Poetic Affair (NZ) (Thewayyouare) took a big step down in class and impressively won a maiden last start. | Stephen McKee & Eddie Chippendale | Sam Spratt |
| 13 | Verna Audrey | 18 | Trained at Washdyke by Michael Daly, Verna Audrey (NZ) scored a convincing maiden win at Timaru two starts ago. She is by Shocking, sire of the Oaks winner Fanatic (NZ). | Michael Daly | |
| 14 | En Suite | 16 | En Suite (NZ) (Shocking) is stepping down in class and distance after contesting last month's Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie. | Kevin Myers | Racha Cuneen |
| 15 | De Chine | 14 | Close up behind the likes of Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock) and Raghu (NZ) (Showcasing) in the Listed Karaka 3YO Mile, De Chine (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has finished second in both of her subsequent starts. | Graham Richardson | |
| 16 | Shezatoucha | 10 | Shezatoucha (NZ) (Showcasing) has never finished further back than fifth in her five-start career, including a close fifth in the NZB Airfreight Stakes. | John & Karen Parsons | |
| 17 | Perceptive | 19 | Placed in both of her last two starts, Perceptive (NZ) (Raise The Flag) has the same trainer-jockey combination as the recent Group 3 South Island Breeders' Stakes winner over this course and distance, Coulee (NZ) (Gallant Guru). | Brian & Shane Anderton | Jacob Lowry (a) |
| 18 | Little Haast | 5 | Bred and part-owned by Llanhennock Trust of Valley Girl (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) fame, Little Haast (NZ) (Faltaat) was sixth in the NZB Airfreight Stakes. | Daniel Champion & Kezia Murphy | Jillian Morris |
| 19 | Lady Byron | 2 | Lady Byron (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit) is a maiden who finished ninth in the NZB Airfreight Stakes. | Danny Frye |