Amarelinha (NZ) Extends NZB Filly of the Year Lead in Sunline Thriller

With a last-gasp victory over a worthy foe in Sunday’s $70,000 Group Three McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie, this season’s standout three-year-old filly Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) has extended her lead in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series. 

Bought by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis for $300,000 from Waikato Stud’s draft at Karaka 2019, Amarelinha has now won four of her six starts and $302,700 in stakes. She has won three legs of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series – the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m), Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Sunday’s Sunline Vase – and has now earned 22 points, which puts her 7 points ahead of stablemate Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma) in second.

Amarelinha’s dominant last-start victory in the Fillies’ Classic at Te Rapa earned her hot favouritism at Ellerslie on Sunday, but this time it was anything but easy.

Needle and Thread (Makfi), who won the Group Two Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, produced a powerful kick at the top of the straight and opened up a dangerous lead.

But jockey Opie Bosson went to work and got the very best out of Amarelinha, who slowly but surely wore down her rival and snatched victory by a nose right on the finish line.

“That is certainly a relief,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “It was unfortunate that when Opie tried to get forward and mobile, they all dug up inside him and she was very wide from the 600 metres. The second horse is also no slouch – she has got very good form.”

Needle and Thread collected another 3 points with Sunday’s second placing, holding down third place on the table with 13 points. Dragon Queen (NZ) (Sweynesse), who finished third, picked up her first 1.5 points of the Series.

There is now only one leg remaining in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series – the $400,000 Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 20, which is worth a crucial 12 points for first, 7 for second and 3.5 for third.

Richards has his sights firmly set on that Trentham classic, where Amarelinha will attempt to clinch her Filly of the Year title.

“We will head to Trentham in a fortnight, ready to go,” Richards said.