One of the traditional signs that spring racing has arrived in New Zealand is the running of the first leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series, the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m). The $150,000 race looks a little different this year in a temporary new home, but it will still give us that same first look at the latest crop of fillies vying for the coveted title.
The Filly of the Year Series is now in its 54th year and has a proud history of unveiling superstars of the racetrack and breeding barn.
The series has been won by some of the greats of the New Zealand turf, like La Mer (NZ) (Copenhagen II), Our Flight (NZ) (Imperial Guard), Solveig (NZ) (Imposing), Snap (NZ) (Kingdom Bay), Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon), Savannah Success (Success Express), Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed), Katie Lee (Pins), King’s Rose (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice), Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) and Legarto (NZ) (Proisir). The most recent addition to the honour roll is the now Australian-based Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn), who racked up 40 points last season in a runaway victory.
Many quality performers have won the Gold Trail during their title-winning Filly of the Year campaigns, including La Mer, Snap, Staring (NZ) (Fiesta Star), Sarwatch (NZ) (Jetball), Taatletail (NZ) (Faltaat) and Dijon Bleu (NZ) (Burgundy). Last year’s Gold Trail winner, Alabama Lass (Alabama Express), has since confirmed her status as an elite sprinter and will contest the Group One Moir Stakes (1000m) in Melbourne this weekend.
The Gold Trail is usually staged at Hastings as part of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival, but that venue is currently closed for renovation. The race will instead be run at the internationally renowned Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland.
A fascinating field of 14 fillies will clash in this year’s Gold Trail. The highly talented line-up features black-type winners To Cap It All (Capitalist), Little Black Dress (Snitzel) and Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) along with the stakes-placed Lady Iris (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) and Queen’s Evidence (NZ) (King’s Legacy). The TAB Racing Club’s In Haste (Snitzel) looks like a big-race filly in waiting, having recorded two smart wins and a placing from her only three starts to date.
The winner of the Gold Trail Stakes will pick up the first 6 points in the 2025-26 Filly of the Year Series, with 3 points available for second and 1.5 for third.
The Gold Trail Stakes will be run as Race 7 at Ellerslie on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 3.25pm.
