First Stamina Test for NZB Filly of the Year Contenders
30 December 2021
The new year brings a new challenge for this season’s New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year contenders, who will stretch out beyond 1600 metres for the first time in Saturday’s sixth leg of the series – the $120,000 Group Two Valachi Downs Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.
The New Year’s Day feature has drawn a talented field, including three black type performers who have already picked up points through the first half of the 2021-22 NZB Filly of the Year Series.
The High Priestess (NZ) (Reliable Man) and Princess Lowry (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) earned 4 and 2 points respectively with their second and third placings in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day, while Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) placed in the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) earlier in the season and has 3 points to her name.
Another four fillies in the field are last-start winners including the Jamie Richards-trained Outfit (NZ) (Tivaci) and Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking), and many others have shown bright promise in their short careers to date.
The winner of the Valachi Downs Royal Stakes will earn 8 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, with 4 points for second and 2 for third.
The Valachi Downs Royal Stakes will be run as Race 5 on Saturday with a start time of 2.43pm.
2021 Group Two Valachi Downs Royal Stakes Field
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER | TRAINER | JOCKEY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mustang Valley | 12 | An impressive winner at Te Rapa as a late two-year-old, Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) has stepped up to stakes class this season with a second in the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), fifth in the Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), fifth in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and a last-start sixth in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day. | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Lisa Allpress | ||
| 2 | Aquacade | 5 | By Dundeel and from a quality international family, Cambridge Stud homebred Aquacade (NZ) has made a promising start to her career with two wins from four starts to date. She produced a big finish from well back to score a last-start victory over 1600 metres at Te Rapa on December 18. | Lance Noble | Leith Innes | ||
| 3 | The High Priestess | 3 | Sixth on debut at Te Rapa on December 18, The High Priestess (NZ) (Reliable Man) was thrown in at the deep end in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day, and she rose to the occasion. A daughter of the multiple Group One placegetter Postmans Daughter (NZ) (Postponed), The High Priestess finished strongly for second behind NZB Filly of the Year Series leader Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy). | Don Walker | Joe Kamaruddin | ||
| 4 | Just Dance | 9 | Just Dance (NZ) is by Tavistock out of the Group One-winning mare Stolen Dance (NZ) (Alamosa). A dominant debut winner at Te Rapa on November 2, she has since finished eighth in the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial (1500m) and a last-start fourth in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m). | David Greene | Danielle Johnson | ||
| 5 | Princess Lowry | 11 | Promising filly Princess Lowry (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) has had just two starts to date for two placings, including a game third in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day. | Team Rogerson | Shaun McKay | ||
| 6 | Miss Madison | 15 | A spectacular come-from-behind winner at New Plymouth in November, Miss Madison (NZ) (Astern) stepped up to stakes class with a close last-start eighth in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m). | 2020 Ready to Run Sale | Hughes Bloodstock, $100,000 | Ben Foote | Kozzi Asano |
| 7 | Not A Brass Razoo | 13 | Not A Brass Razoo (NZ) (Darci Brahma) picked up the first win of her career in a strong $40,000 race at Riccarton Park during the New Zealand Cup carnival, then ran another creditable race for sixth in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m). | Bill Thurlow | |||
| 8 | Outfit | 14 | Blue-blooded Waikato Stud homebred filly Outfit (NZ) is by Tivaci out of the multiple Group One-winning mare Costume (NZ) (Savabeel). From the dominant stable of Jamie Richards, Outfit kicked off her career with two placings in her first three starts, then cleared maiden grade with a convincing last-start victory at Te Rapa. | Jamie Richards | Opie Bosson | ||
| 9 | Self Obsession | 6 | Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking) debuted with a third placing at Tauranga in late November, then returned to the same venue on December 10 for her only other start - a dominant win by three and a half lengths in a 1600-metre maiden race. | Jamie Richards | Michael McNab | ||
| 10 | Verona | 16 | Verona (NZ) (Belardo) was an $8000 purchase from Book 3 of Karaka 2020. She won easily on debut at Te Aroha in late October, then was unplaced on a rain-affected track at Tauranga in November. She stepped up to the big time in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day, where she finished fifth. | Karaka 2020, Book 3 | Cypress Point Farms, $8000 | Jenna Mahoney | Ashvin Goindasamy |
| 11 | Set In Stone | 1 | Unplaced in all of her first five starts, Set In Stone (NZ) (El Roca) stepped up to 1800 metres and turned everything around with a strong front-running victory at New Plymouth on December 22. | Team Rogerson | Tegan Newman | ||
| 12 | Social Distance | 7 | Passed in at Karaka 2020, Savabeel filly Social Distance (NZ) scored a strong maiden victory over 1560 metres at Rotorua earlier this month. She took on the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day, finishing seventh. | Karaka 2020, Book 1 | Psd, Res $120,000 | Stephen Marsh | Sam Weatherley |
| 13 | Trieste | 10 | Bought by David Ellis for $40,000 at the 2020 Ready to Run Sale, Trieste (NZ) (Tivaci) has placed twice in a six-start career to date, including a gutsy second behind stablemate Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking) in her most recent appearance. | 2020 Ready to Run Sale | Mr DC Ellis, $40,000 | Jamie Richards | Craig Grylls |
| 14 | Sadler's Chick | 2 | Savabeel filly Sadler's Chick (NZ) was a $180,000 purchase by Go Racing at Karaka 2020. She has had just one previous start, charging home from last to finish fourth over 1600 metres at Hastings earlier this month. | Karaka 2020, Book 1 | Go Racing, $180,000 | Stephen Marsh | Matthew Cameron |
| 15 | The Sprinkler | 4 | The Sprinkler (NZ) (Reliable Man) was bought for just $14,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2020. She has been a consistent performer to date, with five starts for a third, two fifths and two sixths. | Karaka 2020, Book 2 | Wallace Thoroughbreds, $14,000 | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | Masa Hashizume |
| 16 | Cruisy Lass | 8 | Super Easy filly Cruisy Lass (NZ) was a good third on debut at Ruakaka in August, and has made up late ground for fourth and ninth in two subsequent appearances. | Chris Gibbs |