Sweetest Thing (NZ) Secures First Points in NZB Southern Filly Series

Group One performer Sweetest Thing (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) started off her three-year-old season on a stakes-winning note at Riccarton on Saturday, taking first points in the NZB Southern Filly Series with a hard-fought victory in the $80,000 Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m).

Sweetest Thing was bred by the Hawkins family’s Llanhennock Trust, who offered her under their Wentwood Grange banner in Book 1 of Karaka 2025. Roydon Bergerson and Chris Rutten Bloodstock bought her for $80,000. She has now had five starts for a win, three placings and $183,330 in stakes.

During her two-year-old season, Sweetest Thing was raced by Chris Rutten, Roydon Bergerson and Ian Farrelly and was trained by Bergerson at Awapuni. She placed three times in a four-start campaign that culminated in an outstanding run for second to Seize The Day (I Am Invincible) in the Group One Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham in late March.

It was a new-look Sweetest Thing that came into the 2026-27 season, having been purchased by prominent Australian owner-breeder Glentree Racing and transferred into the Te Akau Racing stable of Mark Walker along with Bergerson’s son Sam. She had won the second of her two trials leading into her eagerly anticipated return to racing in Saturday’s Canterbury Belle.

Sweetest Thing was ridden by Wiremu Pinn in the NZB Southern Filly Series opener, and she settled mid-pack before looming ominously on the outside of the leaders coming around the home turn.

Pinn pushed the button and Sweetest Thing quickly took command with 300 metres to run, but then she was challenged on both sides by the strong-finishing Platinum La Danse (NZ) (Noverre) and Sword Of Stars (NZ) (Sword Of State). Sweetest Thing had to call on all her fighting qualities in a tough three-way battle through the last 100 metres, but she kept lifting and fought off both rivals to win by a short head.

“She had them coming at her from both sides, but fair play to the filly,” Sam Bergerson said. “She was headed, but she kicked back.

“She is a big-striding filly, and we think she will be better on good ground. But it’s good to have Dad, who trained her before, giving me some good pointers.

“There is plenty of improvement to come – she is still quite an immature filly who needs to fill out, so we will need to nurse her along.”

Sweetest Thing earned 7 points with her Canterbury Belle Stakes victory and has gone to the top of the NZB Southern Filly Series table. Runner-up Platinum La Danse collected 4 points, while Sword Of Stars – a stablemate of the winner – picked up 2 points.

The second leg in the NZB Southern Filly Series is the $90,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m), which will be run at Wingatui on Boxing Day.

Sweetest Thing’s Canterbury Belle Stakes win continued a remarkable run of early-spring success for Cambridge Stud stallions Hello Youmzain and Almanzor, who between them have sired stakes-winning three-year-olds across each of the last three weekends.

Hello Youmzain’s daughter Perfect Chaos (NZ) won the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1200m) two weeks ago, followed by Almanzor with Pounce (NZ) in the Group Three Sunline Vase (1200m) last Saturday. Sweetest Thing’s win at Riccarton was part of a Saturday double for Hello Youmzain, whose son Persian Wonder (NZ) won the Group Three Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) in Sydney later in the afternoon. Hello Youmzain is set to feature prominently in the NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November, where he has 15 two-year-olds in the catalogue.

Vendor	Wentwood Grange
Purchaser	Mr RJ Bergerson/Chris Rutten Bloodstock (Manawatu-Whanganui)
Breeding	Hello Youmzain – Ocean Drive
Sale	Lot 158, Karaka 2025 Book 1, $80,000
Breeder	Llanhennock Trust
Owner	Glentree Racing