Southern Filly of the Year
NZB strongly supports fillies racing in New Zealand through sponsorship of the prestigious Filly of the Year Series and Southern Filly of the Year Series, where the country's three-year-old fillies battle it out for the coveted crown. The Southern Series consists of four stakes races in the South Island, with the NZB Southern Filly of the Year trophy presented to connections at the South Island Awards in September. The winners also receive an insurance policy from NZB Insurance to the value of $50,000 + GST.
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At the conclusion of the four-race series, the 2025-26 NZB Southern Filly title went to Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) with 15 points. Bona Sforza (Written By) finished second with 11 points, while Perlino moved into the third spot on the podium with 9.
Bred, raced and trained by John and Karen Parsons, Miss Starlight played a key role in three of the four legs of this season’s Southern Filly Series. She won the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m), then ran second in both the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) and the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m).
2026-27 NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series Schedule
| Date | Race Name | Stake | Dist. | Club | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Sep | L. NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes | $80,000 | 1200m | Canterbury JC | |
| 26 Dec | L. NZB Insurance Sakes | $100,000 | 1400m | Otago RC | |
| 10 Apr | L. NZB Airfreight Stakes | $80,000 | 1600m | Canterbury JC | |
| 24 Apr | L. NZB Warstep Stakes | $80,000 | 2000m | Canterbury JC |
Points Table
| HORSE | POINTS | SERIES PROGRESS |
|---|---|---|
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Points Available
| RACE TYPE | FIRST | SECOND | THIRD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listed | 7 | 4 | 2 |