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A stellar card at Te Rapa on Saturday will feature the running of one of the main lead up races to the G1 New Zealand Oaks, the $100,000 G2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic.
The eighth leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's Filly of the Year Series, the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m) has attracted a line-up of 16 fillies, six of which are in prominent positions on the Filly of the Year Series points table.
Looking at some of the previous winners of the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic, the Group 2 has been won by some of New Zealand's top performing fillies including King's Rose, Katie Lee, Veloce Bella, Shikoba, Tusker and Taatletail.
With four of the last five New Zealand Oaks winners coming from the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic field, the last filly that won the race and went on to claim the New Zealand Oaks was Vapour Trail who won the Filly of the Year Series in 2002.
Currently leading the Filly of the Year Series is Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock x Akris) who will be lining up on Saturday. With 20 points in the Series already - 10 clear of her nearest rival - and 8 points to Saturday's winner, a victory in the Group 2 would give her a big lead in the Series heading into the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks on 17 March.
A winner of the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas and the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic on Boxing Day, Planet Rock ran a good fourth in the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes behind Chicharita at her last start on New Year's Day. She has drawn wide in barrier 15 with Hayden Tinsley to ride for Peter and Dawn Williams.
Getting the better of Planet Rock on New Year's Day, Chicharita (Towkay x Trisynd) won the Group 2 Royal Stakes for trainers Michael Moroney & Andrew Clarken, taking her to third equal in the Series with 8 points. A winner of three of her six career starts, she looks well-placed in the field from the ace barrier with Chad Ormsby in the saddle.
Third equal with 8 points in the Series, the Lisa Latta trained Capital Diamond (Lucky Unicorn x Diamond Smile) has not won a leg in the Filly of the Year Series but has placed in three including third in the Group 1 1000 Guineas and was just run down by Quintessential in the Desert Gold Stakes. She is one of two runners sporting the Cambridge Stud colours, the other being Pussy O'Reilly.
The Don Sellwood trained Pussy O'Reilly (O'Reilly x Octapussy) got caught well back in the Desert Gold Stakes after drawing barrier 11 but has drawn better in a bigger field on Saturday in barrier 10. With Samantha Collett aboard, the sister to Pussy Willow is yet to score a victory this season and has a big task ahead in the face of some tough opposition.
A last start winner of the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes, Quintessential (ex Florette) is one of three fillies in the race by Waikato Stud sire Fast 'N' Famous (also Our Famous Eve and Hope So). Quintessential put in an impressive performance in the Desert Gold when nosing out fellow race rival Capital Diamond right at the post. She has won three of her five starts for trainer John Sargent and currently has a share of sixth place in the Series with six points.
Fast 'N' Famous will also be represented with the Glenn Old trained Our Famous Eve (ex Expoeve) who takes her place after running an impressive second to Chicharita in the Group 2 Royal Stakes, and the Graeme & Debbie Rogerson trained Hope So (ex Viveasha) who will be making her Series debut after running fourth over 2100 metres at Counties late last month.
Graeme & Debbie Rogerson will also saddle Abeautifulred (Handsome Ransom x You Beauty) who ran second to Planet Rock in the Group 1 1000 Guineas earning seven points and fifth place in the Series. She ran a good fourth in the Desert Gold Stakes, battling on well in the straight after taking the lead at the 250 metre mark, and has a tough draw of 18 to contend with on Saturday.
Trainer Shaune Ritchie has three entries in the race including Zurella (Zabeel x Doneze Girl) who has turned heads in her five career starts. The winner of the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes two starts ago, she produced an uncharacteristic performance in the Group 2 Royal Stakes and ran second in a trial with James McDonald aboard coming into Saturday's race. She currently shares sixth place with Quintessential on six points.
Shaune Ritchie will also saddle Artistic (ex Artless) and Forgive No Forget (ex Mejeiro), both by Darci Brahma.
Both fillies had their last start in the Desert Gold Stakes and came from well back in the field to finish strongly over the final stages. Artistic claimed her first points in the Series running third to fellow race rival Quintessential in the Group 3 with Forgive No Forget further back in sixth.
Winning form is good form and the Bryce Revell trained Leica Duell (Duelled x Interlady) comes into the race with two consecutive wins, her last at Trentham over 2100 metres on Telegraph Handicap day. She has drawn wide in barrier 14 with Mark Hills to ride.
Classcoroc (Sirocco Class x Torque) from Graeme Hughes's yard and the Stephen Marsh trained Divine Spice (Postponed x Lady Gesine) both contested the Karaka 3YO Mile at their last start. Both produced big finishes breaking 34.6 seconds for the last 600 metres to run fourth and fifth respectively. Both will be having their first trip over 2000 metres on Saturday.
The blue-blooded filly Raziyya of Sydney (Redoute's Choice x Zirna) comes into the race with just three starts under her belt. She ran second to subsequent Group 2 Great Northern Guineas winner Knight's Tour on debut and broke her maiden at her second start before running third at Ellerslie over 1600 metres in mid-January. Trained by Jason Bridgman, she represents one of the unknowns in the race and will be one to watch as she targets the New Zealand Oaks.
Running a good fourth in the Group 3 Phil Cataldo Bloodstock Wellington Stakes, Astucious (Tiger Hill x Perspicacious) was unlucky in her previous start when unplaced behind fellow rival Quintessential in the Manawatu but was impressive when winning fresh up at Taranaki in late December. She has drawn barrier 11 for trainer Kevin Gray.
The Graeme & Debbie Rogerson trained Toss Up (Zabeel x Heads Or Tales), and Speedy Rocket (Darci Brahma x Anakela Bay) from Jeff McVean & Emma-Lee Browne's yard, are the ballots in the field.
