Filly of the Year
NZB is strongly committed to encouraging and rewarding thoroughbred excellence through supporting fillies and mares racing in New Zealand. In the 2025-26 season, we are proud to celebrate 54 years of the highly prestigious and coveted NZB Filly of the Year Series, where the overall winner immediately becomes a highly valuable breeding proposition and earns her connections $50,000 in bonus cheques - $10,000 for her breeder, $10,000 for her trainer and $30,000 for her owner.
Throughout a proud history, the NZB 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 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 the $1m Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
2025-26 NZB Filly of the Year Series Schedule
| Date | Race Name | Stake | Dist. | Club | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 September | Gr.3 HB/PB Thoroughbred Breeders Assn Gold Trail Stakes | $150,000 | 1200m | Auckland TR | Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) |
| 20 September | Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase | $150,000 | 1400m | Auckland TR | Tarjana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) |
| 18 October | Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes | $175,000 | 1400m | Auckland TR | |
| 8 November | Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 53rd New Zealand 1000 Guineas | $600,000 | 1600m | Canterbury JC | |
| 20 December | Gr.3 LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes | $100,000 | 1600m | Manawatu RC | |
| 26 December | Gr.2 Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic | $270,000 | 1600m | Auckland TR | |
| 1 January | Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes | $270,000 | 2000m | Auckland TR | |
| 17 January | Gr.3 NZB Desert Gold Stakes | $200,000 | 1600m | Wellington RC | |
| 31 January | Gr.2 Lowland Stakes | $150,000 | 2100m | RACE Inc | |
| 7 February | Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic | $275,000 | 2000m | Waikato RC | |
| 21 February | Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks | $1,000,000 | 2400m | Auckland TR |
2025-26 Leaderboard
| HORSE | POINTS | SERIES PROGRESS |
|---|---|---|
| Lollapalooza | 9 | 1st Leg One, 2nd Leg Two |
| Tarjana | 6 | 1st Leg Two |
| In Haste | 3 | 2nd Leg One |
| Queen’s Evidence | 1.5 | 3rd Leg One |
| Little Black Dress | 1.5 | 3rd Leg Two |
Points Available
| RACE TYPE | FIRST | SECOND | THIRD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | 12 | 7 | 3.5 |
| Group 2 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| Group 3 | 6 | 3 | 1.5 |