Southern Filly Series Lead on the Line in NZB Insurance Stakes
4 April 2018
The equal leaders in the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series will go head to head in Saturday’s third leg, the $50,000 Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton.
Kiwi Ida (Squamosa) took the early Series lead when she picked up 7 points with a win in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton in the spring.
Courte Zarindi (NZ) (Any Suggestion), who famously cost just $600 as a weanling at Karaka, joined Kiwi Ida at the top of the leader board with her win in last month’s Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui.
Saturday’s NZB Insurance Stakes is worth 7 points to the winner, 4 for second and 2 for third, giving the two table-topping fillies a chance to break their deadlock.
But this is by no means a two-horse race. The much-respected Dennis Brothers are the owner-breeders of three runners in the field, including the exciting unbeaten filly The Precious One (NZ) (Darci Brahma). A daughter of the multiple Group One winner The Jewel (NZ) (O’Reilly), The Precious One has had three starts for three decisive wins.
The NZB Insurance Stakes will be run as Race 7 on Saturday with a start time of 3.29pm.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Kiwi Ida | 12 | The equal leader in the Series after winning the Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) in the spring, Kiwi Ida (Squamosa) has mixed her form since then. But she was back at her best last start with a win at this track on March 24. The 1600 metres may be a query. | John & Karen Parsons | Gosen Jogoo |
| 2 | Courte Zarindi | 11 | Bought for $600 at Karaka, Courte Zarindi (NZ) (Any Suggestion) has earned more than $60,000 with three wins and four placings from 11 starts. After a strong-finishing placing in the Southland Guineas (1600m), she took a share of the Southern Filly Series lead with her last-start win in the NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m). | Sally McKay | Tina Comignaghi |
| 3 | The Lustre | 16 | The Lustre (NZ) (Darci Brahma) was Group 1-placed over this course and distance in November in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). She has been unplaced in three subsequent appearances. | Dennis Bros & Robert Dennis | Jacob Lowry |
| 4 | The Sparkle | 13 | Fourth in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas, The Sparkle (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has subsequently run second at Wingatui, fourth in the Gore Guineas (1335m), fifth in the Dunedin Guineas (1500m), second in the Southland Guineas and an unlucky fifth in the NZB Airfreight Stakes. | Dennis Bros & Robert Dennis | Jason Laking |
| 5 | The Precious One | 5 | A beautifully bred daughter of Darci Brahma and the multiple Group 1-winning mare The Jewel (NZ) (O'Reilly), the exciting filly The Precious One (NZ) has had three starts for three impressive wins. This is her first attempt at black-type level. | Claire Anderton | Chris Johnson |
| 6 | Pinup Coup | 2 | Pins filly Pinup Coup (NZ) has won twice in her eight-start career, and she was a close fifth over this distance in the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham in January. | Michael & Matthew Pitman | |
| 7 | Beneficial | 1 | While she hasn't won a race since November, Beneficial (NZ) (Highly Recommended) was a close fifth in the Gore Guineas and finished strongly to get within a nose of Kiwi Ida at Riccarton last start. | Ross Beckett | Kylie Williams |
| 8 | Fictitious | 10 | Lightly raced filly Fictitious (NZ) (Ocean Park) has had just four starts for a win, a second and a third. She produced a strong finish for second over this distance last start. This is her black-type debut. | Lisa Latta | Masa Tanaka |
| 9 | Greenpark Gem | 4 | Highly rated Greenpark Gem (NZ) (Highly Recommended) was a debut winner in the spring and finished fourth in the Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m). She was held up in the straight when seventh in the NZB Airfreight Stakes. | Mandy & Matt Brown | Racha Cuneen |
| 10 | Mossy Creek | 14 | Casino Prince filly Mossy Creek has had five starts for a win and three placings. She finished second, beaten by a neck, over this distance last start. This is her first black-type attempt. | Brian & Shane Anderton | Courtney Barnes |
| 11 | Respin | 3 | After an unplaced finish on debut in the spring, Respin (NZ) (Power) has returned impressively with a second, a third and a win - all with strong finishes. This is her first start over 1600 metres and her first at stakes level. | Terri Rae | Alysha Collett |
| 12 | Major Ish Choux | 6 | Unplaced over 2000 metres here last start, Major Ish Choux (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) had previously run a good race for fifth over this distance in the Southland Guineas. | Andrew Carston | Terry Moseley |
| 13 | Anythingcouldhappn | 7 | Anythingcouldhappn (NZ) (Iffraaj) won over this distance two starts back, then finished eighth in the Southland Guineas and 12th over 2000 metres at Riccarton. | Steven Woodsford | Shankar Muniandy |
| 14 | Dark Poppy | 15 | After a maiden win in December, Dark Poppy (NZ) (Burgundy) finished 14th in the Desert Gold Stakes and eighth in the Dunedin Guineas. She was eighth over 1400 metres last start. | Daniel Champion & Kezia Murphy | Lisa Allpress |
| 15 | Raven Darkholme | 9 | Iffraaj filly Raven Darkholme (NZ) bucked and lost all chance at the start of the NZB Airfreight Stakes. She subsequently caught the eye with a fast-finishing sixth at Wingatui. | Nick Wigley | |
| 16 | Za Za Gabor | 8 | Waikato visitor Za Za Gabor (O'Reilly) is a maiden but has taken on Group 3 company in her last two starts, finishing 10th in the Desert Gold Stakes and eighth in the Lowland Stakes (2100m). | Michael Moroney & Pam Gerard | Jake Bayliss |