breednet.com.au

Canterbury Belle Stakes Kicks Off NZB Southern Filly Series

Breednet - Thursday September 15

This weekend will be a time of transition for the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series, with the 2021-22 winner Reputabelle (NZ) (Pins) honoured on Friday night before the next generation begin their quest for the title at Riccarton on Saturday.

Sponsored by NZB since the 2000-01 season, the Southern Filly of the Year Series is an important part of the southern racing calendar – designed to assist with the long-term growth and success of the New Zealand breeding industry by providing opportunities for good fillies to earn valuable blacktype.

The title is awarded to the three-year-old filly with the most points after the completion of the four races in the Series, with the trophy awarded to connections at the annual South Island Awards. The 2022-23 Southern Filly of the Year winner will also receive an insurance policy from NZB Insurance to the value of $50,000 + GST.

The first leg of the Series is Saturday’s $65,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton, which has drawn a quality line-up of 14 fillies.

While some have already proven themselves at black-type level – with Diss Is Dramatic (NZ) (Dissident) being a Listed winner and I Choose You (I Am Invincible) a multiple Group Two placegetter – the build-up to Saturday’s race is set to be dominated by boom local filly Miss Take (NZ) (War Decree).

Advertisement

In her only start to date on Riccarton’s synthetic track on August 25, Miss Take scored a jaw-dropping win by nine and a half lengths. She is part-owned in Australia and her performance will be watched closely on both sides of the Tasman.

But the chances don’t end there, with the field also featuring five other winners, along with plenty of others held in high regard by their connections. Remarkably, Riccarton trainers Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong have five fillies in the field.

The winner of the Canterbury Belle Stakes will receive 7 points, with 4 points for second and 2 for third.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes will be run as Race 6 at Riccarton on Saturday, with a start time of 3:14pm - click here for the field and form.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Cool Aza Beel Filly wins G3 Barneswood Farm Stakes
Newhaven Park based Cool Aza Beel has already made his mark as a sire with Group I winning colt Cool Archie and has now put a Group winning filly on the board with Cool Aza Rene stamping her credentials for the upcoming Group I New Zealand 1000 Guineas.
Gavelhouse Bargain Back to Best
Cambridge trainer Shaun Phelan took special satisfaction from an all-the-way win by Pacheco in the $60,000 Poverty Bay Turf Club Cup (2600m) at Taupo on Friday.
Wrote Produces 'Horse of a Lifetime'
Bruce Wallbank has been on a wonderful ride since returning to the training ranks last term, with his only horse Midnight Edition rising through the ranks to become one of the favourites in Sunday’s Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1400m). 
Starspangled Filly Dominates G1 Filles Mile
Australian bred  stallion Starspangledbanner has a very strong crop of 2YO’s running in the Northern Hemisphere this year and they include outstanding filly Precise, who claimed her second G1 race this year when romping home to win the Bet 365 Fillies Mile (1m) at Newmarket overnight.
Inglis Ready 2 Race - Half-Brother by Stay Inside to Transatlantic Selling Thursday
An Easter graduate victorious in a G1, an Inglis Digital star winning a $1.5m race and a monumental pedigree update ahead of Thursday’s Ready2Race Sale at Riverside.
Five Wins Straight - Walsh Bay Wins Queensland Cup for Munce
Progressive Deep Field mare Walsh Bay has built an impressive picket fence of wins in Brisbane this year winning six of seven starts in 2025 and her last five in a row culminating with a Black Type victory in the $160,000 Listed BRC Queensland Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Yulong Bounce Back with G1 2YO Colt
It’s been a challenging few weeks in Australia for the Yulong team with the defeat of their star performers Treasurethe Moment, Via Sistina (IRE) and Vinrock, while Everest contender Private Harry also faded out of the picture, but in the UK overnight their colours were back in a G1 winning vein aboard Gewan.
Time-Honoured G1 Caulfield Guineas To Autumn Boy
Not only emulating the success of his sire The Autumn Sun by winning the $3m Group 1 MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m), who could forget the epic battle between Testa Rossa and Autumn Boy’s grandsire Redoute’s Choice in the 1999 running of the time-honoured stallion-making race.
Bittersweet Success for She’s Bulletproof In Northwood Plume Stakes
Just days after the passing of her dam, Charlotte Littefield’s gutsy Shooting To Win mare She’s Bulletproof captured the $240,000 Group 3 MRC Northwood Plume Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, her second black type victory.
Deserving Black Type Success For Written Tycoon’s Gangsta Granny
With form around last Saturday’s unbeaten Group 1 Epsom winner Autumn Glow, everything fell into place in Saturday’s $250,000 Group 3 The Nivison (1200m) for Hawkes Racing’s 4yo Written Tycoon mare Gangsta Granny who recorded her first black type victory.