Valachi Downs Quinella in Second Leg of NZB Southern Filly Series

The legacy of the late Kevin Hickman’s Valachi Downs was strongly felt in the second leg of the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series at Wingatui on Boxing Day, where both the winner and runner-up were bred by the respected nursery.

The $100,000 Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) was won by a rising star of southern racing ranks, Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns), who was a $15,000 purchase from Valachi’s draft at the 2022 National Weanling Sale. Runner-up Lil Zena (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) still races in Kevin Hickman’s distinctive gold and blue colours.

The NZB Insurance Stakes was always going to have a major impact on Southern Filly standings, with the three points-scorers from the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) in September – Raziah (NZ) (Niagara) with 7, Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard) with 4 and Lavender Haze (Dubious) with 2 – all absent from the field. Pivotal Ten was the one who took advantage, extending her impressive winning sequence to three in a row.

Fifth in her only two-year-old start and then second in her first-up appearance in September, Pivotal Ten broke through for a four-length maiden win at Wingatui on October 18 and never looked back. She won her next race by seven and a half lengths at Timaru on November 21, then stepped up to stakes level on Boxing Day and delivered again.

Pivotal Ten was ridden by her trainer Samantha Wynne and enjoyed a comfortable run along the rail, breathing down the neck of the front-running Rapid (NZ) (Darci Brahma).

Soon after straightening for home, Lil Zena snuck through a gap along the inside and hit the lead, but Pivotal Ten angled into clear air three off the rail and was poised to pounce. Wynne put the pedal down and Pivotal Ten ranged up alongside Lil Zena, getting better of that rival in the last 50 metres to win by three-quarters of a length.

From five starts, Pivotal Ten has now recorded three wins and a placing and has earned $82,550. 

With 7 points, Pivotal Ten is now the equal leader alongside Raziah in the NZB Southern Filly standings. Dream Of The Moon and Lil Zena are in equal third spot with 4 points apiece, while Lavender Haze and Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) complete the table with 2 points each.

The NZB Southern Filly Series will now take a break before resuming with the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on April 12.