Tussle for NZB Filly Series Lead Tomorrow

The race is on for the lead in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series with Keepa Cruisin and Satinka hot on the heels of current Series leader Insouciant, and all three lining up in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa this Saturday.

The Mark Walker trained Insouciant (Keeper x Loudenne by Palace Music) is holding onto a narrow lead with 18 points on the table following wins in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock One Thousand Guineas, and the Group 3 Ezibuy Eulogy Stakes, both over a mile. Retained rider for owners Peter & Philip Vela will take the mount.

Keepa Cruisin (Keeper x Just Cruising), also a Group 1 winner, is just one point behind Insouciant. Leith Innes will continue his successful association with the Stephen McKee trained filly who comes off the back of a last start win in the Group 3 Sharp Desert Gold Stakes (1600m).

Satinka (Stravinsky x Miss Saigon by Kings Island) sits in third spot on 16 points following back to back Group 2 victories over the Christmas Carnival. The star filly of the Carnival, Satinka is proven over 2000m after winning the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes (2000m) on New Year's Day. A win tomorrow would be the Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott trained filly's fourth at Group 2 level.

Bruce Herd has been booked for the ride while Hayden Tinsley will ride her lightly tried stablemate Keffiya (Cape Cross x Howkudai by Don't Forget Me). Third in the Royal Stakes, Keffiya is a half-sister to Champion 2YO and multiple Group 1 winner Maroofity (Maroof).

Stephen McKee is also represented by Boundless (Van Nistelrooy x Nothing Less by Star Way), a winner of two of her eight starts who has one point on the table following her third placing in the Listed Soliloquy Stakes. Apprentice rider Troy Harris is booked for the trip.

The Roger James trained Kaatoon (Kaapstad x Toonsie by Affirmed) looks a good chance to break through for her first stakes win after strong second placings to Satinka in the Royal Stakes and Keepa Cruisin in the Desert Gold. With seven points on the board, she starts from barrier three under Gavin McKeon. 

Karaka Million winning jockey Vinny Colgan will ride Pretty Vegas (Viking Ruler x Straight Show by Straight Strike) for Wayne and Vanessa Hillis. She has five and a half points in the Series after coming third to Insouciant in the Eulogy and second in the Eight Carat to Satinka.

Sing Song Girl (Generous x Shanghai Girl by Distant Relative) was a close second behind John Sargent's Mercedes Derby hope, Red Ruler (Viking Ruler x Ransom Bay by Red Ransom) in her last start over 1600m at Ellerslie. She has won two from eight race-day appearances for the Mike and Paul Moroney stable and will be ridden by Michael Coleman.

Rounding off the sixteen strong field is Exquisite (Golan x Elyzabel by Kaapstad), Lanbrae (Golan x North Brae by Just a Dancer), Grand Affair (Black Tuxedo x Peggy O'Reilly by O'Reilly), Lady Lucille (Istidaad x Leave Me Lucille by Dehere), Calatrava (Desert Prince x Emerald Zeel by Zabeel), Tief (Viking Ruler x Azarashi by Danzatore), Doyenne (Kilimanjaro x Island Doy by Doyoun) and Linnet (Volksraad x Ballinchy by Lord Ballina).

Eight points will be granted to tomorrow's winner with four going to the runner up and two to the third placegetter.

The race is due to jump at 3pm on a bumper day of racing at Te Rapa with the Group 1 Whakanui Stud International Stakes and the Group 1 Waikato Draught Sprint also on the card. The next race in the Series is the penultimate contest, the Group 3 Devan Plastics Lowland Stakes at Trentham on 1 March.