Undefeated filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) has dominated the early stages of the 2025-26 NZB Filly of the Year Series, but the complexion of the series might start to change with this weekend’s fifth leg.
Saturday’s $100,000 Group Three LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham is a clean slate, with all of the eight runners chasing their first NZB Filly of the Year Series points.
Well Written has amassed 20 points with her super-impressive victories in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), but the remainder of her summer itinerary is set to be made up of races that are not part of the NZB Filly of the Year Series – features such as the Group Two Auckland Guineas (1600m), the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and the $4m NZB Kiwi (1500m).
That could leave an opening for a series newcomer to launch their move up the table, like Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) did 12 months ago. Last year’s Eulogy was the first NZB Filly of the Year Series appearance for Leica Lucy, who won that race and went on to seal the title with subsequent victories in the Group Three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m), Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m) and Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
While none of Saturday’s Eulogy Stakes line-up have yet earned points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, War Princess (NZ) (U S Navy Flag), Abbakiss (Microphone) and Origin Of Love (Snitzel) have all won or placed at stakes level while every other runner in the eight-horse field has won impressively in lower grades.
The winner of the Eulogy Stakes will earn 6 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series, with 3 for second and 1.5 for third.
The LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes will be run as Race 4 at Trentham on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 2.57pm.
