Just three days after an exciting Lowland Stakes at Hastings, the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series action continues thick and fast with the ninth leg, the $70,000 Group 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Following the Lowland Stakes,Queen of Diamonds(NZ) (Savabeel) and Imelda Mary(NZ) (Ferlax) are the equal Series leaders with 18 points each.
No runners in Saturday's Sunline Vase field are currently within striking range of that pair, but they are building towards the final leg, the $400,000 Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham. That race is worth 12 points to the winner, setting up a potential "winner takes all" scenario.
Two runners in the Sunline Vase field already have Filly of the Year Series points to their name.
Pinmedown(NZ) (Pins) has 8 points, courtesy of her win in the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
Elate(NZ) (Savabeel) finished second to Queen of Diamonds in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1550m), earning 3 points. She has subsequently won the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth.
The Real Beel(NZ) (Savabeel) produced a remarkable performance at Ellerslie on Karaka Million night, defying 160-to-one odds for a close second in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m).
The McKee Family Sunline Vase will be run as Race 6 on Saturday with a start time of 3:10pm.
