Star Trio Clash Again in Lowland Stakes
28 February 2017
The first three fillies home in both the sixth and seventh legs of New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series will clash once again in Thursday’s eighth leg, the $70,000 Group 3 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings.
In the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham in late January, Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel) finished first with Devise (NZ) (Darci Brahma) second and Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) third.
Two weeks later there was a rematch in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa, and this time Bonneval came out on top with Nicoletta second and Devise third.
Thursday is round three of the battle, with the trio finishing off their preparations for the $300,000 Group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 18 and also vying for valuable Filly of the Year Series points.
The points table is still topped by multiple stakes winner Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge) with 14 points and the Group 1 winner La Diosa (NZ) (So You Think) with 12, but neither are likely to play any further part in the series. Volpe Veloce is in the spelling paddock and La Diosa is in Sydney, where she scored a first-up win in last weekend’s Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m).
Stablemates Nicoletta and Bonneval sit in third and fourth spot with 10 and 9.5 points respectively, with Devise on five.
Other runners in Thursday’s race with points to their name are Storytime (NZ) (Savabeel) with 5.5, Rip Into Ghia (NZ) (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) with 3 and Grand Soleil (NZ) (Savabeel) with 2.
Thursday’s race carries 6 points for first, 3 for second and 1.5 for third.
The Series will develop further when a different group of fillies contests the $70,000 Group 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie on the 4th of March.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Bonneval | 13 | A sibling to three stakes winners, Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) has come of age in her last two starts with a placing in the Desert Gold Stakes and a win in the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic. She is one of two runners in the race for Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Matt Cameron |
| 2 | Nicoletta | 5 | Bonneval's stablemate Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel) won the Desert Gold Stakes, then finished a close second in the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic after working hard in front. She carries the colours of Lib Petagna's JML Bloodstock, worn to victory in this race last year by Filly of the Year Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi). | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Michael Coleman |
| 3 | Devise | 8 | Placed in the Desert Gold and Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic, the Shaune Ritchie-trained Devise (NZ) (Darci Brahma) is lining up for another rematch at Hastings. She is a half-sister to Zurella (NZ) (Zabeel), who finished second in the Filly of the Year Series in 2011-12. | Shaune Ritchie | |
| 4 | Storytime | 3 | Talented filly Storytime (NZ) (Savabeel) has only won once in her nine-start career, but she has placed in three stakes races - the Eulogy Stakes, Eight Carat Classic and Oaks Prelude. | Evan & JJ Rayner | Rosie Myers |
| 5 | Fashionably | 4 | The beautifully bred Fashionably is by Redoute's Choice out of the dual Group One winner Scarlett Lady (NZ) (Savabeel). She has had four starts so far for a win, two seconds and a fourth. This is her first start at stakes level. | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Opie Bosson |
| 6 | Rosetta | 2 | Pins filly Rosetta (NZ) represents the same owners and trainer as Savaria (NZ) (Savabeel), who won this race and the New Zealand Oaks in 2015. Rosetta has had a win and a placing from six starts so far. | Roydon Bergerson | Kelly McCulloch |
| 7 | Savvy Dreams | 12 | Savabeel filly Savvy Dreams (NZ) has had just three starts so far, recording a win, a fourth and a fifth. | Guy Lowry & Grant Cullen | Leith Innes |
| 8 | Korakonui | 10 | Korakonui (All American) was an impressive maiden winner at Stratford in late December and ran a solid last-start sixth in the Listed Oaks Prelude. | Ralph Manning | Lisa Allpress |
| 9 | Vencedora | 11 | Ekraar filly Vencedora (NZ) caught the eye with a late finish into eighth place in the Listed Oaks Prelude last time out. | John Wheeler | |
| 10 | Whipped | 6 | Whipped (NZ) (Stravinsky) finished a close seventh in the Desert Gold Stakes in January, then a last-start third at Poverty Bay. | Kevin Myers | |
| 11 | Grand Soleil | 7 | Savabeel filly Grand Soleil (NZ) is still a maiden in six starts, but has had five top-five finishes including a third in the Royal Stakes and a fifth in the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic. | Tony Pike | |
| 12 | Imogensmiles | 1 | Maiden filly Imogensmiles (NZ) (Sufficient) became the first stakes starter for trainer Janenne Dalley when she ran fifth in the Oaks Prelude. | Janenne Dalley | |
| 13 | Rip Into Ghia | 9 | Rip Into Ghia (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) is held in high regard and was an excellent third in the Eulogy Stakes in December, but she needs to improve on her 12th-place finish in the Desert Gold Stakes last time out. | Lisa Latta |