Gold Trail Stakes Launches 51st NZB Filly of the Year Series
8 September 2022
The beginning of September is always an exciting time in New Zealand racing for a number of reasons. Our elite older horses return to the racetrack to kick off their ambitious spring campaigns, while at the other end of the spectrum, some of the brightest age-group talent goes head-to-head for the first time – including in the prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.
Now in its 51st year, the NZB Filly of the Year Series brings together New Zealand’s elite three-year-old filly talent through a series of 11 high-quality races between September and March, staged over distances ranging from 1200 to 2400 metres.
Whoever has earned the most points by the end of the Series receives the coveted crown of NZB Filly of the Year and immediately becomes a highly valuable breeding proposition. She will also earn her connections $50,000 in bonus cheques, including $10,000 for her breeder, $10,000 for her trainer and $30,000 for her owner.
It all starts this Saturday at Hastings with the first leg of the 2022-23 NZB Filly of the Year Series – the $100,000 Group Three HB/PB Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).
The Gold Trail always draws a high-quality field, and this year appears to be no different.
Pacific Dragon (NZ) (Charm Spirit) and Hanalei (NZ) (Darci Brahma) were both Listed winners last season, and Pacific Dragon has also placed at both Group Two and Group Three level.
Best Seller (NZ) (Wrote) was a Group Two placegetter as a two-year-old and heads into Saturday’s race on the back of an impressive last-start win, while Miss Nico Belle (Nicconi) and Mazzolino (NZ) (Savabeel) have both placed in Listed races in their short careers to date.
Another runner commanding plenty of attention is debut placegetter Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt), trained by Mark Walker for the powerful Te Akau Racing team. The Matamata stable has produced an incredible eight New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year winners in the last 16 years – Sans Doute (NZ) (Chief Bearhart), Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago), Insouciant (NZ) (Keeper), King’s Rose (Redoute’s Choice), Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago), Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) and last year’s joint winners, Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy) and Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking).
The winner of Saturday’s Gold Trail Stakes will receive 8 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, with 3 points for second and 1.5 for third.
The Gold Trail Stakes gets this season’s Series underway as Race 7 at Hastings on Saturday, with a start time of 3.14pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER | TRAINER | JOCKEY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Dragon | 8 | The most accomplished filly in this field , Pacific Dragon (NZ) (Charm Spirit) won three races as a two-year-old including the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) and the 2YO Winter Championship Final (1200m). She was also first past the post in the Group Two Eclipse Stakes (1200m) in January, but was later relegated to second due to interference. Pacific Dragon has continued in much the same vein at three, finishing a close second behind Lickety Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) in last month's Group Three Northland Breeders' Stakes (1200m). | Karaka 2021, Book 1 | Henry Dwyer Racing, $70,000 | Tony Pike | Michael McNab |
| 2 | Best Seller | 3 | Bought for only $12,000 by Adrian Clark's Challenge Syndications from Book 2 of Karaka 2021, Best Seller (NZ) (Wrote) has quickly emerged as a filly with real talent. She finished second in last season's Group Two Matamata Breeders' Stakes (1200m) and fourth in the Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1200m), and her first start as a three-year-old saw her charge home from last to score a brilliant win at Taupo. | Karaka 2021, Book 2 | Challenge Racehorse Syndications, $12,000 | John Bary | Sam Spratt |
| 3 | Hanalei | 2 | Two-year-old performance is often a real asset for fillies as they take on these early three-year-old features, and Hanalei (NZ) (Darci Brahma) is another one who ticks that box. Second on debut behind subsequent Group One winner Maven Belle (NZ) (Burgundy) in early January, Hanalei was a three-length winner of the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) at Trentham in her second career start. Her only other appearance resulted in a close fourth in the Group Two Matamata Breeders' Stakes (1200m). | Paul Richards | Vinnie Colgan | ||
| 4 | Miss Nico Belle | 6 | Miss Nico Belle (Nicconi) has yet to win a race, but she has hardly put a foot wrong in her career to date. Placed in all of her first three starts, including a runner-up finish in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) in early June, she was hampered in the straight when fifth in a strong field at Taupo last start. | Karaka 2021, Book 1 | Brewers Bloodstock, $90,000 | Stephen Marsh | Sam Weatherley |
| 5 | Mazzolino | 7 | Well-related filly Mazzolino (NZ) (Savabeel) has made a good impression in her short career to date, running second on debut in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa, then returning from a winter break with an excellent third at Taupo against some of the key players in this field. | Stephen Marsh | Craig Grylls | ||
| 6 | Sangrita | 1 | Bulls trainer Bryce Newman is happy to take the plunge with Sangrita (NZ) (Shamexpress), who has had only one start in her career so far. But that debut at Woodville on August 12 could hardly have gone better, producing a powerful finish to win with ease. | Bryce Newman | Kate Hercock | ||
| 7 | Sans Doute | 5 | Held in high regard by the powerful Te Akau Racing team, Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt) began her career in a quality field of fillies at Taupo on August 24. Checked and knocked off balance coming down the side of the track, she recovered impressively to run a close second behind Best Seller (NZ) (Wrote). | Mark Walker | Opie Bosson | ||
| 8 | Arrowette | 9 | Cambridge Stud's Brendan and Jo Lindsay are the breeders and owners of Arrowette (NZ) (Zoustar), who finished fourth in both of her appearances as a two-year-old and made significant progress with a close third in her first start at three. | Stephen Marsh | Lisa Allpress | ||
| 9 | Eparaima | 4 | Local trainer Guy Lowry is throwing first-starter Eparaima (NZ) (Per Incanto) in at the deep end in Saturday's Group Three feature. She has made two appearances at the trials, finishing second at Foxton on May 24 before winning by four lengths on the Awapuni synthetic track on August 18. | Guy Lowry | Ryan Elliot |