Celebrating a half-century of three-year-old filly excellence, the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series springs to life for the 50th time on Saturday with the running of the $80,000 Group Three Hawke’s Bay Breeders Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings.
The Gold Trail Stakes is the first of 11 races in the coveted NZB Filly of the Year Series, which has been won by some of the greats of the New Zealand turf, including La Mer (NZ) (Copenhagen), Noble Heights (NZ) (Sir Tristram), Our Flight (NZ) (Imperial Guard), Solveig (NZ) (Imposing), Snap (NZ) (Kingdom Bay), Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon) and Savannah Success (Success Express), who is these days best known as the dam of super-sire Savabeel.
More recent winners include Princess Coup (Encosta de Lago), Katie Lee (Pins), King’s Rose (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice), Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) and last season’s star filly Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel).
The prestigious series spans 11 Group races from early spring right through to March, when it culminates in the Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham.
The eleven races throughout the season are keenly contested and with significant prizes for the owner, trainer and breeder of the ultimate Series winner. The NZB Filly of the Year winner immediately becomes a highly valuable breeding proposition and earns her connections $50,000 in bonus cheques including $10,000 for her breeder, $10,000 for her trainer and $30,000 for her owner.
Saturday’s Gold Trail Stakes is set to provide a typically exciting start for the milestone 50th series, with a fascinating mixture of proven performance and stellar potential among its talented line-up.
The 16-horse field is headed by the undefeated Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), who has had three starts for three wins including last season’s Group Two Eclipse Stakes (1200m) and a resuming victory in the Group Three Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) earlier this month.
Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy) won the Group Two Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) in February, then picked up outstanding placings in the Group One Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Group One Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
Bellacontte (NZ) (Burgundy), Ima Roca Bee (NZ) (El Roca) and Danger Strykes (NZ) (Astern) are all Listed winners, while Farrenc (NZ) (Dalghar) and Fonsalette (NZ) (Belardo) are Group-placed.
The lightly raced Funny Girl (NZ) (Showcasing), Ivanka (NZ) (Vadamos) and Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) have all scored impressive last-start victories.
The Gold Trail Stakes is worth 6 NZB Filly of the Year Series points to the winner, with 3 points for second and 1.5 for third. It will be run as Race 7 at Hastings on Saturday with a start time of 3.16pm.
