Promising Field for Third Leg of NZB Filly of the Year Series
12 December 2018
With only one runner in the $70,000 Group 3 LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes (1550m) field already having points to her name, Saturday’s third leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series at Awapuni presents the chance for promising newcomers to stake their claims.
Rocket Fuel (Smart Missile) collected 1.5 points for her third placing in the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings in September. She has since picked up another stakes placing, a third in the Group 3 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie.
Secret Allure (NZ) (Zacinto) went close to earning points last start in the Group 1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, finishing strongly for fourth in the prestigious classic. She was also a stakes winner last season as a two-year-old.
Her stablemate, Sentimental Miss (NZ) (Reliable Man), was a last-start placegetter against male three-year-olds in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki.
The blue-blooded Queen Of Diamonds (NZ) (Savabeel) was a $640,000 purchase at the 2017 Premier Sale at Karaka. Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, she won a maiden race by four and three-quarter lengths at Te Rapa last start.
The Filly of the Year Series points table is topped by the first three finishers in last month’s gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas. The winner Media Sensation (I Am Invincible) has 12 points, while runner-up Valalie (Snitzel) has 7. Xpression (NZ) (Showcasing), who was third in the Guineas and also second in the Gold Trail, has 6.5.
The Eulogy Stakes will be run as Race 7 on Saturday with a start time of 4:10pm.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Secret Allure | 7 | Zacinto filly Secret Allure (NZ) was a Listed winner last season and produced a strong late finish for a close fourth in the Group 1 Gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last month. | Lisa Latta | Rosie Myers |
| 2 | Rocket Fuel | 8 | Rocket Fuel (Smart Missile) has been a dual stakes placegetter this season in the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). She picked up 1.5 NZB Filly of the Year Series points for her Gold Trail Stakes placing. | Graham Richardson & Gavin Parker | Dylan Turner |
| 3 | Sentimental Miss | 4 | Improving filly Sentimental Miss (NZ) (Reliable Man) has relished increased distances in recent starts, with a win and two placings in her last three starts including a fast-finishing third in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki late last moth. | Lisa Latta | Chris Johnson |
| 4 | Queen Of Diamonds | 1 | Bought for $640,000 at the 2017 Premier Sale, well-bred filly Queen Of Diamonds (NZ) (Savabeel) has picked up a win and a placing from her three-start career. She cleared maiden grade by almost five lengths at Te Rapa late last month. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Lisa Allpress |
| 5 | Elate | 5 | Savabeel filly Elate (NZ) won stylishly at Taupo earlier in the season and has finished sixth in three subsequent starts, including the Soliloquy Stakes. | Roger James & Robert Wellwood | Ryan Elliot |
| 6 | Just Fabulous | 3 | Local filly Just Fabulous (NZ) (O'Reilly) has had seven starts, finishing in the first four five times - two seconds, a third and two fourths. She finished second to Sentimental Miss at Otaki two starts back. | Roydon Bergerson | Michael McNab |
| 7 | Ambitious Showgirl | 6 | She may have placed only once in her five-start career, but Ambitious Showgirl (NZ) (Showcasing) has shown plenty of promise. She was a close last-start fifth after a wide and unlucky run in the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial (1500m). | Graham Richardson & Gavin Parker | Timothy Johnson |
| 8 | Guillada | 2 | Guillotine filly Guillada (NZ) has had two thirds and two fourths in her five-start career. She was seventh in the Wellington Stakes last start. | Bryce Newman | Bridget Grylls |