Southern Filly Series Concludes with Warstep Stakes
10 April 2019
An exciting New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series will conclude on Saturday with the fourth and final leg, the $50,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton Park.
This season’s Southern Filly of the Year has already been crowned, with Emily Margaret (NZ) (Pins) amassing an unassailable total of 18 points through the first three legs.
But the race for second place is wide open, not to mention the prestigious black type up for grabs in Saturday’s fillies’ feature.
Last weekend’s NZB Airfreight Stakes winner Secret Allure (NZ) (Zacinto) is back for more. With her defeat of Emily Margaret last Saturday, the Lisa Latta-trained filly moved up to second on the table with 7 points. Another win on Saturday would lift her to 14.
Another runner from the lower North Island, Beyond The Fort (NZ) (Niagara), adds plenty of interest. After stylish victories in her first two starts, she stepped up to the big time with an outstanding second placing in the $400,000 Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham.
The New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes will be run as Race 7 on Saturday with a start time of 3:24pm.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Beyond The Fort | 8 | Niagara filly Beyond The Fort (NZ) began her career with impressive victories in her first two starts - a maiden at Tauherenikau on February 6, then a Rating 65 at Otaki two weeks later. She was thrown in at the deep end for her third start, taking on the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), and produced a superb performance to run second. | Bill Thurlow | Dylan Turner |
| 2 | Secret Allure | 10 | Secret Allure (NZ) (Zacinto) moved up to second on the points table with last weekend's victory in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m), beating the Southern Filly of the Year Emily Margaret (NZ) (Pins). It was her third stakes win, following the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton and the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. | Lisa Latta | Lisa Allpress |
| 3 | Guillada | 5 | The Bryce Newman-trained Guillada (NZ) (Guillotone) has found a purple patch of form, winning three of her last four starts. Before that she finished seventh in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) and Eulogy Stakes (1550m), behind the likes of subsequent Group 1 winners Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia d'Oro) and Sentimental Miss (NZ) (Reliable Man). | Bryce Newman | Leah Hemi |
| 4 | Platinum Rapper | 15 | In a short three-start campaign this season, Platinum Rapper (NZ) (Makfi) has scored a first-up win against subsequent stakes performer Blue on Black (Camelot), then ran an unlucky fifth in the Masterton Cup and a solid fourth in last week's NZB Airfreight Stakes. | Lisa Latta | Terry Moseley |
| 5 | Mohaka | 1 | Mohaka (NZ) (Nadeem) was a multiple stakes placegetter earlier in the season in the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m) and Zacinto Stakes (1600m). She was seventh in the NZB Airfreight Stakes last Saturday. | Guy Lowry & Grant Cullen | Jason Laking |
| 6 | City Slicker | 12 | Riverton filly City Slicker (NZ) (Shocking) made an eye-catching late run into sixth in the Listed Southland Guineas (1600m) in February, and she scored a comfortable last-start maiden win at Ascot Park. | Kelvin & Aimee Tyler | Zinjete Moki |
| 7 | Sentito | 7 | Bred and owned by Westbury Stud owner Gerry Harvey, Sentito (NZ) (Postponed) was unplaced in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) earlier in this Series. However, she won impressively at Timaru in her most recent start. | Shane Kennedy & Anna Furlong | Robert Hannam |
| 8 | Thunder Bay | 16 | Thunder Bay (NZ) (Niagara) has had a win and three placings in her 11-start career, and she finished eighth after a wide run in last Saturday's NZB Airfreight Stakes. | Michael & Matthew Pitman | Kavish Chowdhoory |
| 9 | Miss Curious | 14 | Consistent filly Miss Curious (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) hasn't run a bad race this season, including a close sixth in the Group 1 Gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and a late-finishing sixth in last Saturday's NZB Airfreight Stakes. | Danny Frye | Brett Murray |
| 10 | Miss Valencia | 4 | Unplaced in the Group 2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) and Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) earlier in the season, Miss Valencia (NZ) (Ocean Park) produced a much-improved performance with a late run into fifth in the NZB Airfreight Stakes. | Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard | Samantha Wynne |
| 11 | Musee d'Orsay | 6 | A winner at Reefton earlier this season, Musee d'Orsay (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) has been unlucky in her last two starts at Riccarton and Ashburton. | Mike McCann | Krishna Mudhoo |
| 12 | Remedy | 3 | Jimmy Choux filly Remedy (NZ) is a half-sister to the quality sprinter First Serve (NZ) (Swiss Ace). She has been unplaced in recent starts, but produced a powerful finish to win a maiden at this track in January. | Kevin & Pam Hughes | Courtney Barnes |
| 13 | Sulu Sea | 11 | Still a maiden, Sweet Orange filly Sulu Sea (NZ) has placed in two of her six starts and finished fifth in the Southland Guineas. | Daniel Champion & Kezia Murphy | Lee Callaway |
| 14 | Too Ferlaxed | 2 | Too Ferlaxed (NZ) (Ferlax) has had just two starts to date, finishing third in both of them. | Steven Woodsford | Jacob Lowry |
| 15 | Succoso Segreto | 13 | While she has yet to win or place in five starts, Succoso Segreto (NZ) (Sweet Orange) showed promising signs with a strong finish into fourth over 1600 metres last start. | Lance Robinson | |
| 16 | Volvik | 9 | Tavistock filly Volvik (NZ) has had three starts to date, producing a solid finish into fifth in the most recent of them, over 1600 metres. | Andrew Carston | Doni Prastiyou |