Group One winner The Perfect Pink (NZ) (Savabeel) currently holds a comfortable lead in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, but she could be about to get some company.
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The Jamie Richards-trained The Perfect Pink earned 12 points for her victory in last month’s New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton Park, which sent her straight to the top of the table and 4.5 points clear of her nearest rival. But Saturday’s fourth leg of the Series, the $80,000 Group Three LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m), has the potential to narrow the gap.
The Perfect Pink is bypassing the Eulogy Stakes, which is worth 6 points to the winner. In her absence, Bellacontte (NZ) (Burgundy) and Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy), who have earned 6 and 5 points respectively in the Series to date, have the opportunity to make a big move up the ladder.
Bellacontte burst on the scene with two stakes wins at the beginning of the spring including the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), while Belle En Rouge has been a model of consistency – never finishing further back than fourth in her five-start career, and placing in the Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas in her two most recent appearances.
Bellacontte and Belle En Rouge are the only two fillies in Saturday’s field with previous NZB Filly of the Year Series experience, but Unusual Culture (NZ) (Unusual Suspect) followed a spectacular debut victory with a second placing in last month’s Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m) against male three-year-olds.
Up-and-comers Achieve (NZ) (Pierro), Avalene (NZ) (Vadamos), Miss Madison (NZ) (Astern) and Not A Brass Razoo (NZ) (Darci Brahma) head into the race as last-start winners.
The LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes will be run as Race 8 at Awapuni on Saturday, with a start time of 3.47pm.
