Another exciting New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series culminates in Saturday’s 11th and final leg, the $400,000 Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham. And, after winning seven of the 10 legs so far, top trainer Jamie Richards heads into the race with the only three possible winners of the prestigious title.
Richards, who also won the NZB Filly of the Year title last season with Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel), has star performers Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking), Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy) and The Perfect Pink (NZ) (Savabeel) in the field for Saturday’s Oaks.
Those three fillies hold the top three positions on the NZB Filly of the Year Series table with 24, 19 and 12 points respectively, and with 12 points available to the winner of the Oaks, they now have the title race all to themselves.
Self Obsession has been unbeaten and dominant since December, winning four races in succession including the Group Two Royal Stakes (2000m), Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). Belle En Rouge won the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m) earlier in the season, while The Perfect Pink captured the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November.
However, while they are the only three possible NZB Filly of the Year Series champions in the Oaks field this year, the chances of classic glory at Trentham on Saturday afternoon are not limited to that high-class trio.
Achieve (NZ) (Pierro) has earned 6.5 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series to date, producing quality performances to place in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m).
Bellatrix Black (NZ) (Redwood) has been a rapid improver in recent weeks, following up a maiden victory with a superb last-start win in the Group Three Sunline Vase at Ellerslie. She has 6 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series.
Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) also has 6 points to her name, courtesy of placings in the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and the Sunline Vase along with a season-long sequence of top-six finishes.
Glory Bound (NZ) (Tavistock) and Flash Mary (NZ) (El Roca) are recent placegetters in the David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic and Lowland Stakes respectively, lifting their totals to 4 and 2 points.
Saturday’s Trentham showpiece will decide the 50th winner of the coveted Filly of the Year title, which earns connections $50,000 in bonus cheques including $10,000 for the winner’s breeder, $10,000 for the trainer and $30,000 for the owner. The winner also becomes a highly valuable breeding proposition.
In the event of two fillies having equal points following the running of the final leg, both fillies will share the title.
The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks will be run as Race 8 at Trentham on Saturday, with a start time of 4.50pm.
