The time-honoured and prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series will break new ground on Saturday with the running of the second leg of the 2021-22 Series – the $80,000 Group Three Matamata Veterinary Services Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Matamata.
The Soliloquy Stakes is traditionally staged at Ellerslie, but has been relocated due to the Covid-19 Delta outbreak in Auckland – meaning the world-renowned training centre of Matamata will host a Filly of the Year Series race for the first time.
Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) heads the line-up with Group Two and Group Three victories to her name among an impressive four-start career, while Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy) was a Group Two winner and Group One placegetter last season, Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) has been Group Three-placed, and Flash Mary (NZ) (El Roca) has performed up to Listed level. Ziegfeld (NZ) (Teofilo) also adds significant interest, stepping up to stakes level for the first time after winning all of her three previous starts.
Foxton filly Bellacontte (NZ) (Burgundy) is the current NZB Filly of the Year Series leader with 6 points, courtesy of her victory in the opening leg – the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on September 18.
But Bellacontte is bypassing Saturday’s Soliloquy Stakes, clearing the way for the Gold Trail Stakes placegetters Mustang Valley (3 points) and Imperatriz (1.5 points) to leapfrog her on the points table. The Soliloquy Stakes is worth 6 points to the winner, with 3 points for second and 1.5 for third.
The Matamata Veterinary Services Soliloquy Stakes will be run as Race 6 at Matamata on Saturday, with a start time of 3.33pm.
