NZB Filly of the Year
NZB is strongly committed to encouraging and rewarding thoroughbred excellence, and the 2020-21 season will celebrate 49 years of the highly prestigious and coveted New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.
This year's coveted honour will be presented to winning connections at the 2020 NZTBA National Breeding Awards held at the Don Rowlands Centre in Cambridge during October.
The 2019-20 Series winner was once described as New Zealand’s best maiden. Shaune Ritchie-trained Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) made her first appearance on the Filly of the Year table after placing second in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November 2019.
Onwards from there she was unstoppable, subsequently winning the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m), Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Group Two Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m).
She outclassed her rivals again winning a Trentham classic, the $400,000 Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m), which cemented her Filly of the Year Series title by a margin of 22.5 points.
After an impressive crusade, Jennifer Eccles finished the series on top with a total of 44.5 points claiming this year’s title. The only other filly in the last two decades who reached 40 is Justa Tad (NZ) (Istidaad), who scored 42 in 2004-05.
The ten races throughout the season are keenly contested and with significant prizes for the owner, trainer and breeder of the ultimate Series winner. The New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year winner immediately becomes a highly valuable breeding proposition and earns her connections $50,000 in bonus cheques including $10,000 for her breeder, $10,000 for her trainer and $30,000 for her owner.
In the event of two fillies having equal points following the running of the final leg, both fillies will share the title.
2020/2021 NZB Filly of the Year Race Schedule
| DATE | RACE NAME | STAKE | DISTANCE | RACE CLUB | WINNER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Sep 2020 | G3 Hawke's Bay Breeders Gold Trail Stakes | $70,000 | 1200 | Hawke's Bay Racing Inc. | Miss Aoteroa (NZ) (Per Incanto) |
| 24 Oct 2020 | G3 Soliloquy Stakes | $70,000 | 1400 | Waikato Racing Club | |
| 14 Nov 2020 | G1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas | $300,000 | 1600 | Canterbury Jockey Club | |
| 12 Dec 2020 | G3 LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes | $70,000 | 1600 | Manawatu Racing Club | |
| 26 Dec 2020 | G2 Jamison Park Eight Carat Classic | $100,000 | 1600 | Auckland Racing Club | |
| 1 Jan 2021 | G2 Valachi Downs Royal Stakes | $100,000 | 2000 | Auckland Racing Club |
|
| 30 Jan 2021 | G3 Desert Gold Stakes | $70,000 | 1600 | Wellington Racing Club | |
| 13 Feb 2021 | G2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic | $100,000 | 2000 | Waikato Racing Club | |
| 3 Mar 2021 | G2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes | $100,000 | 2100 | Hawke's Bay Racing Inc. | |
| 6 Mar 2021 | G3 McKee Family Sunline Vase | $70,000 | 2100 | Auckland Racing Club | |
| 20 Mar 2021 | G1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks | $400,000 | 2400 | Wellington Racing Club |
2020/2021 NZB Filly of the Year Points Table
| HORSE | POINTS | SERIES PROGRESS |
|---|---|---|
| Miss Aoteroa | 6 | 1st Leg 1 |
| Sweet Anna | 3 | 2nd Leg 1 |
| Babylon Berlin | 1.5 | 3rd Leg 1 |
Points Available
| RACE TYPE | FIRST | SECOND | THIRD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | 12 | 7 | 3.5 |
| Group 2 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| Group 3 | 6 | 3 | 1.5 |
NZB Filly of the Year Honour Roll
| Year | Filly |
|---|---|
| 2019 - 20 | Jennifer Eccles (Rip Van Winkle x Platinum Elle) |
| 2018 - 19 | Imelda Mary (Ferlax x Eleesha) & Queen of Diamonds (Savabeel x Love Diamonds) |
| 2017 - 18 | Dijon Bleu (Burgundy x Pristino) |
| 2016 - 17 | Bonneval (Makfi x Imposingly) |
| 2015 - 16 | Sofia Rosa (Makfi x Bislieri) |
| 2014 - 15 | Platinum Witness (California Dane x Chartreuse) |
| 2013 - 14 | Costa Viva (Encosta de Lago x Vivacious Spirit) |
| 2012 - 13 | Fix (Iffraaj x Destined) |
| 2011 - 12 | Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock x Akris) |
| 2010 - 11 | King's Rose (Redoute's Choice x Nureyev's Girl) |
| 2009 - 10 | Katie Lee (Pins x Miss Jessie Jay) |
| 2008 - 9 | Daffodil (No Excuse Needed x Spring) |
| 2007 - 08 | Insouciant (Keeper x Loudenne) |
| 2006 - 07 | Princess Coup (Encosta de Lago x Stoneyfell Road) |
| 2005 - 06 | Shikoba (Chief Bearhart x Summary) |
| 2004 - 05 | Justa Tad (Istidaad x Infinity) |
| 2003 - 04 | Taatletail (Faltaat x Defensive Lady) |
| 2002 - 03 | Bramble Rose (Shinko King x Images) |
| 2001 - 02 | Vapour Trail (Jetball x Devil's Lair) |
| 2000 - 01 | Singalong (Danasinga x Echostatic) |
| 1999 - 00 | Sarwatch (Jetball x Riverina Charm) |
| 1998 - 99 | Savannah Success (Success Express x Alma Mater) |
| 1997 - 98 | Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon x Imposing Bloom) |
| 1996 -97 | Tartan Belle (Kreisler x Argyll Dazzler) |
| 1995 - 96 | Alacrity (Grosvenor x Daybreak Express) |
| 1994 - 95 | Tartan Tights (Tights x Ultra Sound) |
| 1993 - 94 | Snap (Kingdom Bay x Crackle) |
| 1992 - 93 | Nimue (Star Way x Eustaci) & Lady Agnes (Gleam Machine x Placid Queen) |
| 1991 - 92 | Staring (Fiesta Star x Sweet Violet) |
| 1990 - 91 | Let's Sgor (Creag-An-Sgor x Alycide) & Plume (Crested Wave x Willow Vale) |
| 1989 - 90 | Phillipa Rush (Prince Echo x Jennifer) |
| 1988 - 89 | Kate's Myth (Kaoru Star x Mia Lisa) & Olga's Pal (Straight Strike x Tinawin) |
| 1987 - 88 | Impasada (Imperial Sea x Charsada) |
| 1986 - 87 | Tri Belle (Sir Tristram x Stellar Belle) |
| 1985 - 86 | Royal Heights (Sir Tristram x Claudine) |
| 1984 - 85 | Solveig (Imposing x Soliloquy) |
| 1983 - 84 | Burletta (Three Legs x Travesty) |
| 1982 - 83 | Our Flight (Imperial Guard x Jane Flight) |
| 1981 - 82 | Noble Heights (Sir Tristram x Gold Heights) |
| 1980 - 81 | Glamour Bay (Zephyr Bay x Glamour Test) |
| 1979 - 80 | Coober's Queen (Coober Prince x Dympna) |
| 1978 - 79 | Tang (Taipan ll x Agricolet) |
| 1977 - 78 | Mun Lee (Great Wall x Phareno) |
| 1976 - 77 | La Mer (Copenhagen ll x La Balsa) |
| 1975 - 76 | Mop (Taipan ll x Rag Doll) |
| 1974 - 75 | Princess Patrice (Charicles x How About That) |
| 1973 - 74 | Prepak (Pakistan ll x Precarious) |
| 1972 - 73 | Swell Time (Mellay x High Life) |