NZB Filly of the Year Series Heads to Matamata

Media Release - Friday October 22

The time-honoured and prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series will break new ground on Saturday with the running of the second leg of the 2021-22 Series – the $80,000 Group Three Matamata Veterinary Services Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Matamata. 

mperatriz heads the field for the  $80,000 Group Three Matamata Veterinary Services Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).

The Soliloquy Stakes is traditionally staged at Ellerslie, but has been relocated due to the Covid-19 Delta outbreak in Auckland – meaning the world-renowned training centre of Matamata will host a Filly of the Year Series race for the first time.

Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) heads the line-up with Group Two and Group Three victories to her name among an impressive four-start career, while Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy) was a Group Two winner and Group One placegetter last season, Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) has been Group Three-placed, and Flash Mary (NZ) (El Roca) has performed up to Listed level. Ziegfeld (NZ) (Teofilo) also adds significant interest, stepping up to stakes level for the first time after winning all of her three previous starts.

Foxton filly Bellacontte (NZ) (Burgundy) is the current NZB Filly of the Year Series leader with 6 points, courtesy of her victory in the opening leg – the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on September 18.

Advertisement

But Bellacontte is bypassing Saturday’s Soliloquy Stakes, clearing the way for the Gold Trail Stakes placegetters Mustang Valley (3 points) and Imperatriz (1.5 points) to leapfrog her on the points table. The Soliloquy Stakes is worth 6 points to the winner, with 3 points for second and 1.5 for third.

The Matamata Veterinary Services Soliloquy Stakes will be run as Race 6 at Matamata on Saturday, with a start time of 3.33pm.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Stakes Hopeful Fillies In The Best Sydney 3YO Maiden for Months
In what may be the strongest maiden we’ve seen in a month or two in Sydney, at least three fillies with spring stakes potential, along with an unraced blueblood, are slated to kick off their campaigns on the Kensington track on Wednesday, all coming off excellent trials.
G1 Mare to visit City of Troy
Group One performer Faraglioni recorded one of her biggest moments on the track when runner-up in last year’s Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), but she won’t feature in the renamed Proisir Plate at Ellerslie next month.
First Looks At First Season First Foals
Always one of the most interesting things in foaling season is getting our first look at the first of those stallions which retired to stud last season, so here’s a look at a few that have come on to the Breednet Foal Gallery so far.
Cleo Cat tops August (Early) Sale at $355,000
A date with well credentialled new stallion More Than Looks awaits today’s Inglis Digital August (Early) sale-topper Cleo Cat, which sold to Yulong for $355,000.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 11
Here is the full list of 14 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 13
Here is the full list of 47 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Cantiamo Leads Home Too Darn Hot Fillies One Two
With bigger plans ahead, be it this campaign or the next, connections have themselves a lovely filly for the future as the Kris Lees trained Cantiamo resumed on the Kensington track with a first up victory.
Cogburn Arrives At Widden
Widden Stud’s new recruit Cogburn has arrived in the Hunter Valley with Widden producing vision of his arrival and first parades.
First Stakes-Winner for Palace Pier
Kingman’s champion Group I winning son Palace Pier (GB) only shuttled to Darley Australia for one year and will have his first runners this season with his first Northern Hemisphere stakes-winner arriving overnight when Morris Dancer win the Listed Stonehenge Stakes (1m) at Salisbury.
Emphatic Seven Length Victory for Artorius Brother
Making his third race day appearance off the back of a pleasing second last time out, 3yo colt Sixties highlighted his potential class with the Chris Waller trained brother to multiple Group 1 winner Artorius pulling clear by more than seven lengths!