Fillies Set to Contest NZB Soliloquy Stakes
29 September 2006
The three-year-old fillies are once again set to do battle as a 14-horse field prepares for the Listed $50,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday - the second leg of the 2006 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.
Some promising contenders have been assembled for Saturday's race with stakes performers Electrostatic (Elnadim x Echostatic), Seven Hills (City on a Hill x Cimarosa), Solis (My Halo x My Star of Indy) and Imananabaa (Anabaa x Iman) heading the line up of talented fillies looking to get points on the board.
Trained by Craig Thornton, the exciting Electrostatic - a winner in July and twice stakes placed since - has been dealt an unlucky blow drawing barrier 13. She was bred and is raced by Philip and Catherine Brown of Ancroft Stud, co-breeders of current Cox Plate favourite, El Segundo.
The Jim Gibbs trained Imananabaa was a close second to Wexford Stable's Keep the Passion (Keeper x Impassion) at Taupo last start and looks to have a good chance. Imananabaa has drawn barrier six, next to stable-mate Velvet and Satin (Carnegie x Romanee Conti).
The regally-bred Velvet and Satin, a half-sister to Melbourne and Caulfield Cups winner, Ethereal, looked to be an above average two-year-old and produced a pleasing resuming run at Taupo for a second place earlier this month.
Last start winner, Keep the Passion, is one of three runners for this season's new training partnership of Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott. She is joined by the well-bred Bonaichi (Fusiachi Pegasus x Bonanova) and the freshened Roma (Rossini x Knockmeout) who from two starts at Ellerslie has produced a win and second placing.
After taking out both filly races last weekend, Stoney Bridge sire, Postponed, is represented by one runner, an impressive winner on debut, Post Romance (Postponed x Pretty Wicked). Owner, Mike Tololi, will be hoping Post Romance can go one better than her dam, Pretty Wicked (Sir Tristram x Something Wicked), who was second to Savannah Success (Success Express x Alma Mater) in the Soliloquy Stakes in 1998. Grant Cooksley retains the ride for trainer Leanne Bertling.
Alan Sharrock brings North his debut starter Whodat Cugat (King Cugat x Over the Counter). With three consecutive trial wins to her credit and a second on her first outing, she starts from barrier three and will be guided by Lisa Cropp.
Rounding off the field are Soelin (Stravinsky x Solano), Sitting on a Hill (City on a Hill x Ivy Darling), Tunza Times (Hunza Court x Three Times) and Material Girl (Al Akbar x Glowing Satin).
With the likes of multiple stakes winners Savannah Success, Sarwatch and La Sizeranne all starting their successful three-year-old seasons in the Soliloquy, tomorrow's race could provide a good guide to those to watch over the course of the Filly of the Year Series.
Less than a week ago Naturo's (Postponed x Rubiton's Best) commanding performance in the Group 3 Highview Stakes (1400m) at Hastings made for an exciting start to the Series. The early leader in the Series, she sits on six points with second place-getter Magic Tryst (Magic Ring x Our Tristajet) on three and third place-getter, Italia (Stravinsky x Capote Crossing) on one-and-a-half. The winner of Saturday's contest will earn 4 points, with second and third earning 2 and 1 respectively.