Filly Of The Year Series Kicks Off This Weekend

The prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series is set to kick off for the 2003-04 season this Saturday with the running of the Gr.3 Highview Stakes (1200m) at the Hawkes Bay Racing Club.

The Highview Stakes is renowned for attracting a high quality field with winners in the past few years including Sarwatch (Jetball x Riverina Charm), Flying Babe (Flying Spur x Cast Your Fate) and Spring Rain (Centaine x Pearl Dragon).

The schedule of races and points system for the 2003-04 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series are as follows:

13 Sept�Gr.3�$50,000�Highview Stakes�1200m�Hawkes Bay RC
11 Oct�Gr.3�$40,000�Indian Danehill Lowland Stakes�1400m�Masterton RC
25 Oct�Listed�$30,000�Goldstar Soliloquy Stakes�1400m�Auckland RC
8 Nov�Gr.1�.$275,000�.New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas�1600m�Canterbury JC
13 Dec�Gr.3�$40,000�Robertson Motors Eulogy Stakes�1600m�Manawatu RC
26 Dec�G.2�$100,000�Eight Carat Classic�1600m�Auckland RC
2 Jan�Gr.2�$120,000�Royal Stakes�.2000m�.Auckland RC
17 Jan�Gr.1�$300,000�New Zealand Oaks�2400m�Wellington RC
7 Feb�Gr.2�$100,000�Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic�2000m�Waikato RC
28 Feb�Gr.2�$100,000�Championship Stakes�2100m�Auckland RC

The Points Awarded
Gr.1 First � 12 points, Second � 7 points, Third � 3.5 points.
Gr.2 First � 8 points, Second � 4 points, Third � 2 points
Gr.3 First � 6 points, Second 3 - points, Third � 1.5 points
Listed First � 4 points, Second � 2 points, Third � 1 point

The Filly of the Year Series has been running since the early 1970's with previous winners such as La Mer, Our Flight, Solveig, Phillipa Rush, Tycoon Lil, and Vapour Trail to name a few.

Last seasons winner was the Mark Todd trained Bramble Rose (Shinko King x Images) who was placed three times in the Series and took out the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks giving her the title with 20 points, with one point to spare over Gr.1 New Zealand Bloodstock One Thousand Guineas winner The Jewel (O'Reilly x The Grin) who finished the Series with 19 points.

Bramble Rose is raced by the Rivermonte Racing Syndicate who has numerous members including Mark Todd, Telecom CEO Theresa Gattung and television presenter Paul Holmes.

The owner of the winning filly in 2003-04 will receive a cheque for $15,000 from New Zealand Bloodstock. The trainer of the winning filly will receive $5,000 and the breeder of the winning filly will also receive $5,000

The field for Saturday's Highview Stakes will be available on Wednesday.

For details on the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series check our website www.nzb.co.nz