Well Written Makes Mark on NZB Filly of the Year Series

Saturday’s Group Two Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie may have been a changing of the guard in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, with the standouts from the first two legs upstaged and blown off the track by an undefeated newcomer. 

In only the second start of her career, Well Written (Written Tycoon) romped to a dazzling victory by six and three-quarter lengths.

Bought for a sale-topping $80,000 from the 2024 National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus, the Stephen Marsh-trained Well Written has now had two starts for two wins by a combined margin of almost 10 lengths. She has earned $117,875.

Well Written made her debut at Ellerslie on September 20, lining up in a maiden race on the undercard for the second leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series – the Group Three Sunline Vase (1400m), which was fought out by table-toppers Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) and Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma). In a sign of what was to come, Well Written outclassed her maiden opposition by three lengths.

That performance made enough of an impression to earn Well Written third favouritism on Saturday for her first start at black-type level, only shaded in the betting market by Lollapalooza and Tajana. But Well Written rose to the occasion in the Soliloquy Stakes and stamped herself as a filly of high class.

Well Written was ridden by Matt Cartwright and had an ideal run just behind her front-running stablemate Little Black Dress (Snitzel) before taking command in the straight.

All eyes were on Well Written through the final 300 metres as she careered away to win with astonishing ease. Little Black Dress stuck on solidly to finish a distant second, with Tajana producing a strong finish from the back for third, but this was a one-act affair.

Both Well Written and Little Black Dress are trained by Cambridge-based Stephen Marsh.

“That was bloody exciting,” Marsh said. “We thought we had two excellent fillies. It was just a shame that Little Black Dress got softened up out in front and was taken on the whole way.

“Well Written got a great run just behind her and you could see at the top of the straight that it was going to be another good win like last time. I was hoping she had the X-factor, and holy hell, she could be pretty special.

“Dylan Johnson has got take a lot of credit. He shopped around the whole of the online book and took me to every place in New Zealand to look at them and he found her. Big ups to him and a big group of owners, including some new stable clients.”

Saturday’s performance made a big impression on Cartwright.

“Jesus, we might have unravelled one here,” he said. “She was a bit awkward away, but she enjoyed a lovely run and from the corner she was travelling way too good for them.

“She let rip and is very special, a very good horse.”

Well Written earned 8 points from her Soliloquy Stakes demolition, which puts her into an equal second place alongside Tajana. Lollapalooza retains a narrow lead with 9 points. Saturday’s runner-up Little Black Dress now has 5.5 points and sits in fourth place.

The next leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series is one of the most important – the $600,000 Group One Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 8. It is worth a potentially decisive 12 points for first, 7 for second and 3.5 for third.

“With the way she has won today, we will certainly be heading down to Christchurch for the 1000 Guineas,” Marsh said. “We won’t get too far ahead of ourselves, because she has had a short prep with just the two runs. But if she comes through this well, we will give her a crack.”

Vendor	Brighthill Farm
Purchaser	Stephen Marsh Racing/Dylan Johnson Bloodstock (Waikato)
Breeding	Written Tycoon – Mozzie Monster
Sale	Lot 36, 2024 National Online Yearling Sale, $80,000
Breeder	Mr D Digney
Owner	8 Mates Syndicate, W L Bolton, Ms S E Bourke, N V Burnside, J Carter, V Carter ONZM, P Dench, N N Dobson, J R Gray, S W Hawkings, J Lewis, Rayas Bloodstock Ltd, P L Sparrow, Vencedor Partnership, M & R Yortt