Filly of the Year
Throughout a proud history spanning more than 50 years, the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series has repeatedly unveiled superstars of the racetrack and the breeding barn. But the 2024-25 edition of the series turned out to be one for the ages.
At the end of the exciting 11-race series, the name added to the honour roll as the 53rd Filly of the Year was the exceptional Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn).
Leica Lucy (NZ) was an unstoppable force during the 2024-25 NZB Filly of the Year Series, winning all of the five races she contested including a fitting finale in Saturday’s $1m Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham.
Having previously won 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), Leica Lucy finishes with 40 points.
She is only the third filly to score that highly in the NZB Filly of the Year Series in the last two decades, following on from Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) with 44.5 points in 2019-20 and Justa Tad (NZ) (Istidaad) with 42 in 2004-05. In the last four seasons, the winning scores have been 28, 25, 31 and 34 points.
Saturday’s Oaks brought the curtain down in more ways than one. It was the 11th and final leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series, but also the last New Zealand start for Leica Lucy. The star filly’s owner-breeders Peter and Heather Croskey sold a share of the ownership to the Australian-based Ozzie Kheir earlier this year, and Leica Lucy will do her future racing from Chris Waller’s stable.
2025-26 NZB Filly of the Year Series Schedule
| Date | Race Name | Stake | Dist. | Club | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/09/2025 | Gr.3 HB/PB Thoroughbred Breeders Assn Gold Trail Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m | Auckland TR | |
| 18/10/2025 | Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes | $175,000 | 1400m | Auckland TR | |
| 08/11/2025 | Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 53rd New Zealand 1000 Guineas | $600,000 | 1600m | Canterbury JC | |
| 21/12/2024 | Gr.3 LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes | $100,000 | 1600m | Manawatu RC | Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) |
| 26/12/2024 | Gr.2 Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic | $225,000 | 1600m | Auckland TR | Hitabell (NZ) (Embellish) |
| 1/01/2025 | Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes | $270,000 | 2000m | Auckland TR | Real Class (NZ) (Vadamos) |
| 18/01/2025 | Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes | $200,000 | 1600m | Wellington RC | Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) |
| 8/02/2025 | Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic | $275,000 | 2000m | Waikato RC | Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) |
| 02/03/2025 | Gr.2 Lowland Stakes | $150,000 | 2100m | Marton JC | Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) |
| 8/03/2025 | Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase | $250,000 | 2100m | Auckland TR | Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) |
| 22/03/2025 | Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks | $1,000,000 | 2400m | Wellington RC | Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) |
2025-26 Leaderboard
| HORSE | POINTS | SERIES PROGRESS |
|---|---|---|
Points Available
| RACE TYPE | FIRST | SECOND | THIRD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | 12 | 7 | 3.5 |
| Group 2 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| Group 3 | 6 | 3 | 1.5 |