Yulong might have bid farewell to their flagship performer Via Sistina (IRE), but have no shortage of female talent to step up this season and are now in the happy position of racing what appear to be the two best fillies in New Zealand.
Within the space of just two starts, Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) has transformed herself from a maiden into a dual Group Two winner with strong claims for the 2025-26 NZB Filly of the Year title.
The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained filly added Saturday’s $275,000 Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa to her previous-start success in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. She now has 16 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series.
That puts Ohope Wins only 4 points behind equal leaders Well Written (Written Tycoon) and Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca), who will both play no further part in the series.
Ohope Wins is now a commanding favourite for the final leg, the $1m Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie on February 21, where either the 12 points available to the winner or 7 points for second would secure her the coveted title.
Ohope Wins made a big impression with her come-from-behind victory at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, and Saturday’s performance was even more spectacular. She was a clear last coming around a home turn in a race that had been run at a muddling pace.
Only one filly made up significant ground down the Te Rapa straight, and that was Ohope Wins. She produced a blistering turn of foot and blew past her 10 rivals to score by half a length from Single Red (NZ) (Vanbrugh) and Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma).
“I was thinking ‘wow’ all the way up the straight,” jockey Joe Doyle said. “They put the blinkers on her today and she travelled a lot better.
“We had an awful lot of ground to make up turning for home, and I thought she might run a nice third or fourth and we’d be happy. But she just picked them up. She’s a bit of a superstar.”
Ohope Wins has now had five starts for two wins, a second and $319,120 in stakes. She was bred by Gartshore Bloodstock, who raced her for her first four starts before selling her to new owners Yulong.
“She has given them all a head start today, so that was some performance,” O’Sullivan said. “Coming to the corner, I thought she was going to have to be pretty good. When Joe got her to the outside and gave her clear air, she showed she is a filly that’s well above average.
“The plan has always been to go to the Oaks, and we certainly won’t be changing that plan. She looks like she will be very competitive in that, and I’m thrilled for Yulong who have come on board.
“We have always thought she would come into her own over a middle distance, and she has a beautiful action and is a filly we have always liked.”
Ohope Wins now sits in a clear third on the NZB Filly of the Year table. Saturday’s runner-up Single Red joined the leaderboard with her first 4 points, while the third-placed Tajana has moved up to fourth with 10 points. Tajana could still be in NZB Filly of the Year title contention, but she will need to win the Oaks in two weeks’ time with Ohope Wins no better than third.
