Sunday's Sale Features Fillies with Benefits

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Sunday's Sale Features Fillies with Benefits

New Zealand Bloodstock will conduct the Winter Mixed Bloodstock Sale (2 August) and South Island Sale (7 August) over the next week with both sales offering a number of high class fillies for buyers looking to capture the benefits of racing a thoroughbred of the fairer sex.

There is no doubting the fact that fillies and mares are more than competitive at the very highest level. Names like Sunline, Ethereal, and Makybe Diva spring to mind over the past decade, all champions of their generations.

Residual Value

Amongst the advantages of racing a filly is the fact that she has a great deal more residual value to her owner once she retires to stud. A filly's exploits on the race-track only increase her long-term value as a broodmare prospect, whilst colts and geldings have far less opportunities beyond racing.

Racing a Filly in NZ Just Got Easier

Racing a filly in New Zealand just got easier. A recent meeting of the Handicap Review Commitee, established by NZTR, identified that fillies and mares were disadvantaged in Rating 70 races and a decision was made to revert back to set weights and penalties for these events from 1 September.

Under these race conditions fillies and mares will now receive a significant weight relief through a 1.5kg allowance in Rating 70 events.

Fillies are also treated to a host of specialist races including the New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas, the New Zealand Oaks, and the New Zealand Bloodstock Breeders' Stakes, which are all filly/mare only races, whilst they can also compete against the boys in the $2,000,000 NZ Derby and $1,000,000 NZ 2000 Guineas.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series and Southern Filly of the Year Series provide further incentive to get involved in the many benefits of racing a nice filly, with a bonus of $50,000 available to the owner, breeder and trainer of the Series winner.

Trading Opportunities

Fillies who show potential also have numerous trading options. Previous owners of stakes-winning fillies know full well that Australasian stud farms are in hot pursuit of fillies who capture illustrious black-type, whilst there is also demand from further abroad.

Buyers from the USA are amongst the prominent purchasers of New Zealand performed fillies each season with major success. 2008 Group 1 John C Mabee Handicap winner Black Mamba (Black Minnaloushe) and triple US Group 1 winner Happyanunoit (Yachtie) are prime examples of expat Kiwis thriving in the United States.

Singapore, which is increasing its racing population and looking towards staying features in future, has continued to increase the number of fillies traded up to that region over the past few years, and again this has paid dividends.

The 2009 Singapore Derby was captured by four-year-old mare Jolie's Shinju (Jolie's Halo), while New Zealand's own Mexican Rose defeated all the boys in the 2009 Singapore Juvenile Championship just last Friday.

Sale Opportunities

New Zealand Bloodstock will offer fillies with plenty of residual value and plenty of upside in their pedigrees, along with many very good types at its two upcoming sales.

At Karaka on Sunday (2 August) one of the Sale's standout lots is a filly offered UNRESERVED on account of Phoenix Park.

Lot 199 - Redoute's Choice x Donna Dior (Marscay) - Phoenix Park

* This filly is supremely bred, being by a champion sire from a stakes-winning and stakes-producing Marscay mare.

* A direct descendent of Corn, this filly is a half-sister to Galileo's Daughter (Galileo), placed last season in the Group 1 Australian Oaks and Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Stakes. This is also the family of Catbird, Maizcay, Beans, County, Dieu D'or, Half Hennessy, Fitting, and Pillar of Hercules.

* A rising three-year-old, she is a genuine racing prospect. She has been broken, but is untried and will be sold with a full set of x-rays.

Other fillies of racing age with stakes-winning siblings will be offered at Lots 176, 177, and 183.

New Zealand Bloodstock's South Island Sale has produced a number of good fillies just this season including two-year-old stakes-winner Lesley Brook (No Excuse Neeeded), stakes-winning sprinting mare Cherry Creek (Monashee Mountain), and stakes-placed and Group 1 1000 Guineas fifth Inferno (Yamanin Vital).

To be held in Christchurch next Friday (7 August), this year's catalogue offers a good number of quality prospects including a full-sister to Lesley Brook (No Excuse Needed) who won a stakes race just three months after being purchased unbroken from the 2008 Sale.

Lot 38 -No Excuse Needed x Polka (Groom Dancer) - Hedwood Thoroughbreds

* This filly, as well as being a full to Lesley Brook who won three this season, is a direct descendent of Champion NZ 3YO filly Noble Heights (Sir Tristram).

* This family has produced the likes of champions Weekend Hussler (Hussonet), Battle Heights, Royal Heights, and Allegro.

Other fillies with stakes-winning siblings include:

Lot 1 - O'Reilly x La Banca, by Grosvenor (Grange Farm)

* By leading sire O'Reilly, from seven-time winning La Banca, this filly is bred on the same cross as Group 1 winner The Jewel, Group 2 winner Kerry O'Reilly, and Group 3 winner O'Reilly Rose.

* She is also a half-sister to 2007 South Island Sale topper Moveovr, who this season at three won at Listed level.

Lot 31 -Lord of Warriors x Perfect (Straight Strike) - Selwyn River Stud

* This filly by emerging young sire Lord of Warriors is a half-sister to Group 1 Levin Classic winner Bunker (Sandtrap) from the family of Petanque and Red Baron.

Lot 36 -Coat's Choice x Please Remember (Don't Forget Me) - Three Valleys

* By exciting first-season sire Coat's Choice this filly is a half-sister to Amnesia (Desert Sun) who chased home Sunline gamely in the Group 2 Counties Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes.

Lot 40 - Sunray x Quip, by Rory's Jester (Willow Glen)

* From the same family as Group 1 Australian Guineas winner Heart of Dreams, this filly is a Sunray half sister to promising Listed winning Australian stayer, Fast Future (Generous).

Lot 165 - Captain Rio x Jen's Halo, by Military Plume (Golden Elm Grange)

* By the sire of Il Quello Veloce, this filly oozes residual value as two of her half-sisters have already left outstanding performers in this season's three-year-old Group winners Geeza and Glamorous Girl.

Prospective buyers can obtain catalogues from reception@nzb.co.nz and Marketing Executive Haylie Martin (Haylie.martin@nzb.co.nz) can help with any travel arrangements. Catalogues can also be viewed online at http://www.nzb.co.nz/.

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