The $175,000 Group Two Jamieson Park Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) was added to the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series only three years ago, but the second leg is quickly establishing itself as one of the highest-quality events in the prestigious series.
Pukekohe will this Saturday host the 2023 edition of the Soliloquy Stakes, which has been won by subsequent Group One superstars Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) and Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) in the last two years.
The Soliloquy has also been a springboard to Group One glory for the 2020 runner-up Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and 2021 third placegetter Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy), while both of last year’s placegetters went on to shine at the elite level too – Romancing The Moon (El Roca) and Prowess (NZ) (Proisir).
Those are big shoes to fill for the class of 2023, but a capacity field of well-credentialled fillies is set to clash at Pukekohe this weekend.
No fewer than 14 of the line-up have been winners, headed by the Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) victory by Impendabelle (Impending) last season.
Loch Katrine (NZ) (Ardrossan) was a Listed winner of the Champagne Stakes (1600m) in the autumn, while Tulsi (The Autumn Sun) placed in the Group One Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Oneira (NZ) (Contributer) ran third in last month’s Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).
Luberon (NZ) (Embellish), Glamour Tycoon (Written Tycoon) and Charmer (NZ) (Charm Spirit) all picked up placings at Listed level as two-year-olds last season.
Another key feature of the Soliloquy field is that it is full of impressive winners this spring who are expected to go on to bigger and better things. Luberon has been a stylish winner of three of her four starts, and she shares favouritism for next month’s Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) with the impressive recent Taupo maiden winner Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High), who will make her black-type debut in Saturday’s Soliloquy.
The winner of the Soliloquy Stakes will earn 8 points in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, with 4 points for second and 2 for third.
This race is set to cause a major shake-up on the points table. The first leg of the series was last month’s Gold Trail Stakes, where Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) earned 6 points with her victory and Chantilly Lace (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) picked up 3 points for running second. Neither of those fillies are contesting the Soliloquy, meaning Oneira (1.5 points) is the only runner in this field with points already to her name.
The Jamieson Park Soliloquy Stakes will be run as Race 8 on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 4.23pm.
