Amarelinha (NZ) Continues Stable Dominance of NZB Filly of the Year Series

27 December 2020

Amarelinha (NZ) too good in the G2 Eight Carat Classic. Photo: Trish Dunell.

Saturday’s $100,000 Group Two Jamieson Park Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie was the fifth leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, and it delivered a third win for champion trainer Jamie Richards and the powerful Te Akau Racing team.

The Eight Carat Classic was spectacularly won by Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel), who David Ellis bought for $300,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2019. She followed in the footsteps of stablemates Miss Aotearoa (NZ) (Per Incanto), who won the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), and Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) heroine Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma).

Second and first in her only two previous appearances, Amarelinha stepped up to stakes class for the first time on Saturday and scored an outstanding win.
After dropping back towards the tail of the field, Opie Bosson unleashed her down the outside in the home straight and she charged to victory with a scintillating burst.

“She’s a very exciting filly with an amazing turn of foot,” Bosson said. 

“I was excited from about the 600-metre mark – she was travelling so well and I just couldn’t wait to let her go. But I waited until the home straight, and then she just went past them all so quickly.

“She switched off a bit late in the race, having a look at the crowd and pricking her ears.

“I’m so excited. I haven’t ridden one like this for a while.”

Trained by Richards for the Te Akau Hopskip’n’jump Syndicate, Amarelinha has now won two of her three starts and earned $60,900.

She looms as a force to be reckoned with through the remainder of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, and the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 23 could also be on her agenda.

“She quickened very well today and looked like a good filly,” Richards said. “She’s a filly I’ve always had quite a big opinion of. When David bought her at Karaka, I said that I thought she looked a bit like Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel).

“She’s got a lovely pedigree, she’s by the right stallion and has that great Waikato Stud brand as well. She’s got a good future.

“I think 2000m and 2400m will be no problem at all for her, so I think we’ve got a bit to look forward to in the new year with her.”

Amarelinha earned 8 points with her exceptional Eight Carat Classic performance, which moves her straight into second place on the points table. Her stablemate Kahma Lass still leads with 15.

Eight Carat Classic runner-up Fleetwood Maca (NZ) (Rock ‘n’ Pop) earned 4 points, while Moana (NZ) (Ocean Park) finished third and picked up 2 points.
The next leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series is now less than a week away, with the $100,000 Group Two Valachi Downs Royal Stakes (2000m) set to be run at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Vendor Waikato Stud
Purchaser Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau)
Breeding Savabeel - Hopscotch
Sale Lot 85, Karaka 2019 Book 1, $300,000
Bred by Waikato Stud Ltd