Group 1 Filly Takes Shot at Filly of the Year Series Lead
16 January 2019
An exciting New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series continues on Saturday with the sixth leg, the $70,000 Group 3 Williment Travel Group Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.
The talented field is headed by Valalie (Snitzel), who hasn’t raced since a strong-finishing second in the Group 1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November.
That performance earned her 7 points and a prominent position on the Filly of the Year Series table. The only fillies ahead of her are Media Sensation (I Am Invincible) with 12 and Pinmedown (NZ) (Pins), Imelda Mary (NZ) (Ferlax) and Queen of Diamonds (NZ) (Savabeel), who all have 8.
None of those fillies are lining up in the Desert Gold, leaving the road clear for Valalie to move up the table. Victory in the Desert Gold is worth 6 points, which would propel her into the lead, while the 3 points for second or 1.5 points for third would move her into second position.
Her opposition on Saturday includes stakes winners Secret Allure (NZ) (Zacinto) and Emily Margaret (NZ) (Pins), along with stakes placegetters Pullyoursocksup (NZ) (Thewayyouare), Just Fabulous (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Sentimental Miss (NZ) (Reliable Man).
The Williment Travel Group Desert Gold Stakes will be run as Race 8 on Saturday with a start time of 4:22pm.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Valalie | 12 | Well-bred filly Valalie (Snitzel) finished fourth in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old and fourth in the Group 3 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) earlier this season. She went to a new level in her most recent appearance, finishing second in the Group 1 Gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. With 7 Filly of the Year Series points to her name, she could move to the top of the table with victory in this race. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Matt Cameron |
| 2 | Secret Allure | 10 | After winning the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old, Secret Allure (NZ) (Zacinto) has made an impact this season with a fourth in the 1000 Guineas and a last-start second in the Group 2 Royal Stakes (2000m). The same trainer, owners and jockey won this race last year with Dijon Bleu (NZ) (Burgundy). | Lisa Latta | Leith Innes |
| 3 | Emily Margaret | 13 | South Island filly Emily Margaret (NZ) (Pins) won the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) in September and was a commendable seventh in the 1000 Guineas. She finished third over 1400 metres at Awapuni last start in her North Island debut. | Kevin & Pam Hughes | Sam Collett |
| 4 | Pullyoursocksup | 6 | Following a stylish maiden win at Ellerslie, Pullyoursocksup (NZ) (Thewayyouare) stepped up to black-type class for the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) on Boxing Day. She was a close third, with the winner Hypnos (NZ) (Reliable Man) going on to place at Group 1 level in the Levin Classic (1600m). | Stephen McKee | Sam Spratt |
| 5 | Just Fabulous | 4 | O'Reilly filly Just Fabulous (NZ) began her season with a fifth placing at Waverley in October, but has been a model of consistency since then - second at Waipukurau, second at Otaki, third at Awapuni, third in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1550m) at Awapuni and first at Hastings. | Roydon Bergerson | Michael McNab |
| 6 | Savy Yong Blonk | 1 | Eighth on debut at New Plymouth, Savy Yong Blonk (NZ) (Savabeel) has a perfect record of two wins from two starts since then. She scored a commanding victory by a length and three-quarters last start. | Jamie Richards | Michael Coleman |
| 7 | Sentimental Miss | 14 | Sentimental Miss (NZ) (Reliable Man) beat Just Fabulous at Otaki in November, and since then she has finished third in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) and fifth in the Eulogy Stakes. | Lisa Latta | Jason Waddell |
| 8 | Lady In Lace | 9 | Pins filly Lady In Lace (NZ) has had just four starts for a win, a second and a third. She won impressively two starts back, then finished second at Otaki earlier this month. | David & Emma Haworth | Craig Grylls |
| 9 | Clementina | 15 | Although she is still a maiden, Clementina (NZ) (Savabeel) has made a good impression with strong finishes in all three appearances including the Royal Stakes. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Stephen Baster |
| 10 | Dauphine | 7 | Dauphine (NZ) (Dalghar) won at Awapuni on Boxing Day, then ran sixth in the Awapuni race in which Emily Margaret was third. | Gary Vile | Robert Hannam |
| 11 | Jakkalbomb | 2 | By Jakkalberry and a close relative to last year's New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc de Cambes), Jakkalbomb (NZ) has had just four starts for a win, a second and a third. | Janelle Millar | Rosie Myers |
| 12 | Schist | 8 | Reliable Man filly Schist (NZ) has raced only twice to date, finishing fourth on debut before winning at her home track, New Plymouth. | Allan Sharrock | Johnathan Parkes |
| 13 | Miss Valencia | 3 | By Ocean Park, Miss Valencia (NZ) won at this track as a two-year-old and has placed in one of her other three appearances. | Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard | Lisa Allpress |
| 14 | Sure Bet | 5 | Sure Bet (NZ) (Reliable Man) was a winner at Tauranga earlier this season and contested the $101,000 Taranaki Challenge (1400m) in her most recent raceday start. | Team Rogerson | Ryan Elliot |
| 16 | Higher Power | 11 | Yet to win or place in six starts, Higher Power (NZ) (Power) has finished fourth in three of those including a close-up performance behind quality galloper More Wonder (NZ) (Mossman) last start. | Jeff Lynds | Jake Bayliss |