Filly of the Year Series Steps Up to 2000m in Royal Stakes
29 December 2017
New Zealand is known for its staying fillies and mares, and the stamina-oriented fillies in this season’s three-year-old crop will get their chance to shine when New Zealand Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year Series steps up in distance for the $100,000 Group 2 Stella Artois Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
There is the potential for major changes on the leaderboard, with Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) heroine Contessa Vanessa (NZ) (Bullbars) lining up again six days on from her Boxing Day heroics.
The Team Rogerson runner sits in third place on the table with 9.5 points, and a repeat result in the Royal Stakes would earn her another 8 points – taking her past the current leader Dijon Bleu (NZ) (Burgundy) who has 16.
The only other Royal Stakes runner with Filly of the Year Series points to her name is Gris Dame (NZ) (Reliable Man), who collected 2 points with her third placing in the Eight Carat Classic.
A number of runners are making their Filly of the Year Series debut in the Royal Stakes, including Fiscal Fantasy (Skilled) who has impressively won her last two in a row.
The Royal Stakes winner will collect 8 points, with 4 for second and 2 for third.
On a spectacular raceday featuring six black-type events, the Royal Stakes will be run as Race 4 with a start time of 2.35pm.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Contessa Vanessa | 3 | After a series of hard-luck stories, Contessa Vanessa (NZ) (Bullbars) came of age with a searing finish to win the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m). The extra distance is not expected to be an issue. | Graeme & Debbie Rogerson | Chris Johnson |
| 2 | Gris Dame | 4 | Gris Dame (NZ) (Reliable Man) has mixed her form but has undoubted ability, highlighted by her close third in the Eight Carat Classic on Boxing Day. The Autridge-Richards and Bosson combination commands respect throughout Australasia. | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Opie Bosson |
| 3 | Fiscal Fantasy | 14 | Skilled filly Fiscal Fantasy has yet to take on black-type company, but she has looked good winning her last two starts at Te Rapa and Tauranga. | Frank Ritchie | Trudy Thornton |
| 4 | Alternative Fact | 1 | A well-bred daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, Alternative Fact (NZ) won a maiden race by four and three-quarter lengths earlier this season and was a close last-start fourth in the Listed 3YO Salver (2100m). | Richard Collett | Alysha Collett |
| 5 | Lily The Pink | 5 | Lily The Pink (NZ) (Makfi) has made a big impression in her three-start career. An eye-catching fourth at stakes level on debut, she won easily earlier this month before taking on the big time in the Eight Carat Classic and finishing a commendable fifth. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Matt Cameron |
| 6 | Hello It's Me | 2 | Hello It's Me (NZ) (Darci Brahma) scored impressively on debut and has been close up in all three subsequent starts, including the Listed Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and Trevor Eagle Memorial (1500m). | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs | Cameron Lammas |
| 7 | Anevey | 6 | Ocean Park filly Anevey (NZ) has had five starts to date, building to a comfortable last-start maiden win over 1600 metres at Matamata. | Glenn Old | Michael McNab |
| 8 | Bet She Is | 10 | After close-up performances in all of her first four starts, Bet She Is (NZ) (Cape Blanco) broke through stylishly for a last-start maiden win at Ruakaka | Stephen McKee | Sam Spratt |
| 9 | Mark Two | 12 | Pins filly Mark Two (NZ) has had only one previous start in her career, beaten by a nose when second in a 1600-metre maiden at Tauranga earlier this month. | Stephen Marsh | Danielle Johnson |
| 10 | Pont Alma | 13 | Pont Alma (Stratum) has had three starts for a second, a third and a luckless sixth. | Emma-Lee & David Browne | Jake Bayliss |
| 11 | Marcellina | 9 | Carrying the JML Bloodstock colours worn to Royal Stakes victory two seasons ago by Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi), Savabeel filly Marcellina (NZ) has had three starts to date for a sixth, a third and a fourth. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Michael Coleman |
| 12 | Luxe | 8 | One of two runners in the race for Emma-Lee and David Browne, Luxe (NZ) (O'Reilly) has had three starts for two fourth placings. | Emma-Lee & David Browne | Jason Waddell |
| 13 | Los Angeles | 11 | Rock 'n' Pop filly Los Angeles (NZ) has finished fifth in each of her two career starts, over much shorter distances. | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs | Samantha Collett |
| 14 | Verbal Command | 7 | Another runner carrying the tangerine of Te Akau, Verbal Command (Commands) has yet to place from five starts to date. | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Regan Bayliss |