Classy Canterbury filly Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) could take a big step towards the NZB Southern Filly of the Year title when the four-race series resumes with the $100,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day.
This will be the second leg of the popular series, which began on September 13 with the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton. Miss Starlight won that race and went straight to the top of the NZB Southern Filly leaderboard with 7 points.
Every race in the NZB Southern Filly Series is worth 7 points for the winner, 4 for second and 2 for third. With Miss Starlight lining up again on Boxing Day – and neither of the Canterbury Belle Stakes placegetters in the field – it is an ideal chance for her to add to her lead.
But the other 14 fillies in the highly talented NZB Airfreight Stakes line-up will make Miss Starlight earn those additional NZB Southern Filly Series points.
Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Rene) is the highest-rated runner in the field, having won five of her nine starts including the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) in October. Miss Starlight and Cool Aza Rene both contested the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in their most recent appearances, finishing seventh and eighth.
Marokopa Falls (Hellbent) heads south after some strong performances in the North Island, including a last-start stakes placing in the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui.
Miss Ziggy (NZ) (Brazen Beau) placed in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in January and has run some solid races this spring including a fifth in the Canterbury Belle Stakes, third in the Barneswood Farm Stakes and ninth in the 1000 Guineas.
The NZB Airfreight Stakes will be run as Race 6 at Wingatui on Boxing Day, with a scheduled start time of 3.30pm.
