Filly of the Year Series Leader Returns to the Fray

18 January 2018

Last year's Desert Gold Stakes winner Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel).
Last year's Desert Gold Stakes winner Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel).

The New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series continues on Saturday with the sixth leg, the $70,000 Group 3 Metroclad-Terracade Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham, and it features the return of table-topper Dijon Bleu (NZ) (Burgundy).

The Lisa Latta-trained filly has led the Series from the start, winning the first leg – Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings in September. She then finished second in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1550m), lifting her total to 16 points.

Dijon Bleu will maintain her Series lead regardless of Saturday’s result, with 6 points available to the winner and her nearest rival in the field, The Lustre (NZ) (Darci Brahma), sitting on 3.5.

Larima (NZ) (Pour Moi) was a fast-finishing fourth in the Eulogy and Sandrine (NZ) (Savabeel) finished seventh in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic, while the rest of the Desert Gold field will make their Filly of the Year Series debut.

They include a number of impressive last-start winners such as Swiss Precision (NZ) (Swiss Ace), Milseain (NZ) (Tavistock) and Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park).

In addition to the 6 points on offer to the Desert Gold Stakes winner, there are 3 points for second and 1.5 for third.

The Metroclad-Terracade Desert Gold Stakes will be run as Race 8 at Trentham on Saturday, with a start time of 4.22pm.

# Horse Draw Comments Trainer Jockey
1 Dijon Bleu 3 Dijon Bleu (NZ) (Burgundy) is the Filly of the Year Series leader with 16 points. She won the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and ran second in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1550m). Lisa Latta Leith Innes
2 The Lustre 2 Darci Brahma filly The Lustre (NZ) earned 3.5 points with her third placing in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November. She was unplaced over a shorter distance in her only start since then. Dennis Bros & Robert Dennis Jacob Lowry
3 Sandrine 11 After impressive wins in her first two starts, Sandrine (NZ) (Savabeel) joined the Filly of the Year Series with an unlucky seventh in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m). Team Rogerson Trudy Thornton
4 Swiss Precision 4 Swiss Precision (NZ) (Swiss Ace) has come of age in her last two starts, scoring impressive victories at Waipukurau and Hastings. This is her first attempt at black-type level. John Bary Sam Weatherley
5 Larima 6 After a stylish maiden win at New Plymouth, Larima (NZ) (Pour Moi) took on the Eulogy Stakes and ran a fast-finishing fourth. Janelle Millar Masa Tanaka
6 Blanco Belle 14 Blanco Belle (NZ) (Cape Blanco) has won or placed in all of her three starts, including a second to Dijon Bleu in the Listed O'Learys Fillies' Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui in September. Susan Rainford Rosie Myers
7 Pinup Coup 13 Pinup Coup (NZ) (Pins) was unplaced in her first two starts, but has rapidly improved since then with a maiden win at Kurow and a strong third at Trentham last Saturday. Michael & Matthew Pitman Chris Johnson
8 Chill 12 Mastercraftsman filly Chill (NZ) finished third on debut at Tauranga, then won her only other start - a 1400-metre maiden at Taupo. Danica Guy Michael Coleman
9 Dark Poppy 15 The Daniel Champion and Kezia Murphy-trained Dark Poppy (NZ) (Burgundy) was unplaced in her first three starts, but put everything together nicely with a classy last-start maiden win at Ashburton. Daniel Champion & Kezia Murphy Michael McNab
10 Insight 4 Insight (NZ) (Shocking) is rated highly as a New Zealand Oaks prospect and has recorded a win and two placings from her four starts to date. Stephen Marsh Danielle Johnson
11 Milseain 7 A full-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Werther (NZ) (Tavistock) and New Zealand Cup winner Gobstopper (NZ) (Tavistock), Milseain (NZ) (Tavistock) has had one start for one easy win. Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman Opie Bosson
12 Miss Foxy Gal 9 Foxwedge filly Miss Foxy Gal has recorded top-five finishes in two Listed races and was a convincing last-start winner at Hastings. Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott Jake Bayliss
13 Rondinella 5 Rated by trainer Roger James as potentially his best filly since four-time Group 1 winner Silent Achiever (NZ) (O'Reilly), the well-bred Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park) followed a debut placing with an easy maiden win at Tauranga. Roger James Vinnie Colgan
14 Za Za Gabor 8 After finishing fifth and fourth in her first two starts, Za Za Gabor (O'Reilly) lifted her game with a commendable last-start placing at Ellerslie. Michael Moroney & Pam Gerard Samantha Collett
15 Misstumut 1 Misstumut (NZ) (Azamour) has had two starts to date, finishing ninth and sixth. Ben Ropiha