This week marks the beginning of two prestigious NZB-sponsored series for three-year-old fillies, whose first legs have taken place a week apart at two of New Zealand’s most iconic racing venues.
The NZB Filly of the Year Series began at Ellerslie last Saturday with the Group Three Sunline Vase (1200m), and this Saturday marks the first leg of the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series with the running of the $80,000 Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.
The Southern Filly Series consists of four Listed races in the South Island – the Canterbury Belle Stakes, the $90,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day, the $80,000 Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on April 10, and the $80,000 Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton on April 24.
The winner of each race will earn 7 points, with 4 for second and 2 for third. The filly with the most points at the end of the series be the NZB Southern Filly of the Year, with a trophy presented to connections during the South Island Racing Awards the following September. The winners also receive an insurance policy from NZB Insurance to the value of $50,000 plus GST.
At the conclusion of an exciting 2025-26 NZB Southern Filly Series, the coveted title went to Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) with 15 points. Bona Sforza (Written By) finished second with 11 points, while Perlino (NZ) (Super Seth) filled the third spot on the podium with 9 points.
Bred, raced and trained by John and Karen Parsons, Miss Starlight played a key role in three of the four legs of last season’s Southern Filly Series. She won the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes, then ran second in both the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes and the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes.
This year’s Canterbury Belle is set to get the 2026-27 NZB Southern Filly Series off to a strong start, with a well-credentialled field of 14 fillies assembled including last season’s Group One Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) runner-up Sweetest Thing (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) along with six race winners.
The NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes will be run as Race 7 at Riccarton on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 3.30pm.
