The tenth and final leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series could provide a fitting end to a dominant summer for Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle).
The winner of Saturday’s $400,000 Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) will receive 12 points in the Filly of the Year Series.
Jennifer Eccles currently tops the table by 10 points. The only way the star filly can be beaten to the prestigious title is if she finishes outside the top three in the Oaks and the second-placed Loire (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) wins.
On the other hand, an Oaks victory would lift Jennifer Eccles to an extraordinary total of 44.5 points. No other filly has achieved a score over 40 since the dual Group 1 winner Justa Tad (NZ) (Istidaad) in 2004-05. Top-class fillies of subsequent years as Princess Coup (Encosta de Lago) and Katie Lee (Pins) reached 39 and 38 respectively.
Jennifer Eccles claimed her first win of the Series in the fourth leg, the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day. She has since added dominant victories in the Group 2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Group 2 Lowland Stakes (2000m).
Loire is her only Filly of the Year Series threat, having earned 12 points with her victory in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November. She has subsequently placed in the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and the Fillies’ Classic and Lowland Stakes.
While Jennifer Eccles has scored dominant victories over most of her Oaks rivals in recent weeks, the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m) provides a different form line. Run at Ellerslie three days after the Lowland Stakes, it was impressively won by Communique (NZ) (Redwood) ahead of her stablemate Karalino (NZ) (Zacinto).
The New Zealand Oaks will be run as Race 8 at Trentham on Saturday with a start time of 4:25pm.
