First Test of Stamina in NZB Filly of the Year Series

Media Release - Monday December 30

The 2019-20 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series stretches out beyond 1600 metres for the first time in Wednesday’s fifth leg, the $100,000 Group 2 Valachi Downs Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.

LilikoiJennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) moved to the top of the table with her win in last week’s Group 2 SkyCity Eight Carat Classic (1600m), but a couple of Royal Stakes runners will be out to narrow the gap.

Lilikoi (NZ) (Charm Spirit) earned 6 points with a dominant win in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) earlier this month, and connections are confident that extra distance will be ideal.

There are similar expectations for Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux), who charged home to finish second in the Eight Carat and has 4 points to her name.

Advertisement

View the full schedule and leaderboard here

View the race preview here

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 2
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Almanzor Mare Salutes for Cambridge Stud
Daring Dame broke through for an elusive win when taking out the Kensington Tavern 1200 at Ruakaka on Wednesday.
So You Think filly Scores for TAB Racing
The TAB Racing Club’s silks were to the fore at Ruakaka on Wednesday, with three-year-old filly Transcend carrying them to victory in The Homestead Sports Bar & Bistro 1200.
Consecutive Wins As Cantiamo Defeats The Boys
With 60kgs on her back against the boys, it’s clearly evident there are bigger and better things ahead for the Kris Lees trained Cantiamo as the 3yo daughter of Too Darn Hot went back-to-back, winning the Precise Air Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm.
Waller Stable Hold the Key to Melbourne Cup
Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller has 27 of the 120 entries for this year’s $10million Melbourne Cup, which equates to more than 20 per cent of the total, so it’s probably worth having a closer look at them.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday September 3
Here is the full list of 41 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Spring Trial Watch – Caulfield
With a plethora of Group racing for colts and geldings last weekend and fillies to take centre stage Sydney on Saturday for the Group II ATC Furious Stakes it was interesting to see a Caulfield trial on Tuesday morning that featured six stakes-winning 3YO’s.
First Foals for Lofty Strike
One of the most interesting young stallions that we saw on the recent Victorian stud tour was at Swettenham Stud and it has not taken long for the big baldy face of Lofty Strike to find it’s way on to one of his first foals.
Vale, G1 winning horseman Tony Dennis
A member of one of New Zealand racing’s most famous and successful families has died, with the recent passing of Tony (Anthony) Dennis, aged 86.
Winning Debut for Blueblood Cox Plate Dreamer
At the start of August we ran a story about the 3YO’s that were entered for this year Cox Plate and aside from the usual suspects there were some ‘Cox Plate’ dreamers and one of them was unraced Lonhro colt Attica, who made a winning debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.