The NZB Filly of the Year title has been locked up by Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn), but the two remaining races in the series both carry plenty of prestige in their own right – starting with the $250,000 Group Three Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The Sunline Vase is the 10th leg of the 11-race series and is worth 6 points for the winner, 3 points for second and 1.5 for third. It will be followed by the grand finale, the $1m Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 22, which carries 12, 7 and 3.5 points respectively.
Leica Lucy has earned 28 points from her victories in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m), Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m). The only fillies within mathematical range are Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) with 21 points and Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) on 15, but Alabama Lass is running in Saturday’s Group Three Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) and Captured By Love is competing in Melbourne.
That means second and third positions on the points table could be there for the taking with strong performances in the Sunline Vase and the Oaks.
Two fillies in the Sunline Vase have already earned NZB Filly of the Year Series points.
Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) picked up 2 points with a third placing in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) in January, having previously run second behind leading Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) contender Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m).
Skymax (NZ) (Ferrando) earned 1.5 points from a third placing in the Eulogy Stakes, which is one of seven times she has finished in the top six in black-type company this season.
Other Sunline Vase contenders include the stakes placegetters Eye Candy (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and This Time Girl (NZ) (Contributer), along with recent maiden winners Deadly Desire (NZ) (Super Seth), Shockabella (NZ) (Shocking) and Wyndsong (NZ) (Wyndspelle).
The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase will be run as Race 2 on a star-studded Champions Day card at Ellerslie on Saturday. The scheduled start time for the Sunline Vase is 12.55pm.
