With only one runner in the $70,000 Group 3 LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes (1550m) field already having points to her name, Saturday's third leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series at Awapuni presents the chance for promising newcomers to stake their claims.
Rocket Fuel(Smart Missile) collected 1.5 points for her third placing in the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings in September. She has since picked up another stakes placing, a third in the Group 3 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie.
Secret Allure(NZ) (Zacinto) went close to earning points last start in the Group 1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, finishing strongly for fourth in the prestigious classic. She was also a stakes winner last season as a two-year-old.
Her stablemate,Sentimental Miss(NZ) (Reliable Man), was a last-start placegetter against male three-year-olds in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki.
The blue-bloodedQueen Of Diamonds(NZ) (Savabeel) was a $640,000 purchase at the 2017 Premier Sale at Karaka. Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, she won a maiden race by four and three-quarter lengths at Te Rapa last start.
The Filly of the Year Series points table is topped by the first three finishers in last month's gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas. The winnerMedia Sensation(I Am Invincible) has 12 points, while runner-up Valalie(Snitzel) has 7.Xpression(NZ) (Showcasing), who was third in the Guineas and also second in the Gold Trail, has 6.5.
The Eulogy Stakes will be run as Race 7 on Saturday with a start time of 4:10pm.
