breednet.com.au

Ellerslie Carnival Brings Major Moves in NZB Filly of the Year

Media Release - Monday December 23

The festive season marks a pivotal point in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, with two of the 10 legs taking place at Ellerslie within the space of a week – each one worth 8 points to the winner.

Jennifer Eccles is looking to cast off maiden status in style!First up is Thursday’s $100,000 Group Two SkyCity Eight Carat Classic (1600m), which in recent years has been won by eventual Filly of the Year winners Katie Lee (Pins), Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock), Fix (NZ) (Iffraaj) and Queen of Diamonds (NZ) (Savabeel).

This year’s field is headed by Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), who sits in second place on the leaderboard with 7 points.

Although she is still a maiden, Jennifer Eccles has placed in three stakes races, starting with a third in last season’s Listed Auckland Futurity Stakes (1400m).

She began her Filly of the Year Series campaign with a fourth in the first leg, the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings, behind Aretha (NZ) (Charm Spirit), Bavella (Snitzel) and the current table-topper Loire (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice).

After a third in the Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), Jennifer Eccles stepped up to Group One level and charged home for a close second in the gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), just a long neck behind Loire.

Jennifer Eccles trails Loire by 6.5 points in the Filly of the Year Series race, and she will move to the top of the table if she can win the Eight Carat Classic. Champion Sydney-based Kiwi jockey James McDonald takes the ride.

Advertisement

The field also features last-start Listed winner Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux), plus stakes placegetters Showoroses (NZ) (Showcasing), Manchu (Redoute’s Choice), Familia (NZ) (Makfi), Showbeel (NZ) (Savabeel), Aalaalune (NZ) (Reliable Man) and Tears of Jupiter (Zoustar).

Manchu features on the Filly of the Year table with 3 points, while Showbeel has 1.5.

Along with the 8 points available to the winner, the runner-up in the Eight Carat Classic will earn 4 points and the third placegetter will collect 2 points.

The SkyCity Eight Carat Classic will be run as Race 7 on Thursday with a start time of 4:05pm.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday January 8
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Part 3 Anamoe - The Street Cry Legacy
A champion colt that competes at the top of his game for three seasons winning G1 races at two, three and four acquires a legion of fans along the way, so this week we are paying tribute to Anamoe, ahead of his first yearlings being sold next week at Magic Millions.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
Two heats won by juveniles at Warwick Farm on Friday morning and was a first time look at both fillies by I Am Invincible and Tassort.
Part 4 Anamoe – Which Yearling is Your Pick?
It turns out Anamoe has a lot of fans out there and this series of stories have been popular with the audence and here is the last of them and our writer Kat Webster has picked her two favourite MM yearlings by Anamoe, so who are they?
People at Magic Millions - Day 2
Day two of People At Magic Millions and Maree is putting vendors on the spot to name a highlight.
McAlpine Appointed Insurance Manager
After 19 years of valued service, Mark Lock has resigned from his position at NZB Insurance. We are pleased to note that Jane McAlpine has stepped up to assume the role of Insurance Manager. As many of you have already met Jane, you will know she is well versed in bloodstock insurance and understands the wider racing and equestrian community needs.
Part 2 Anamoe – Kiwi Origins Produce an Aussie Champion
A champion colt that competes at the top of his game for three seasons winning G1 races at two, three and four acquires a legion of fans along the way, so this week we are paying tribute to Anamoe, ahead of his first yearlings being sold next week at Magic Millions.
Newhaven Draft Has That Magic Glow
Newhaven Park is a family owned and run farm in the south west of NSW in the rolling hills of Boorowa and for generations the Kelly family have been producing champions and the current superstar to carry the RK brand might one day be the best of them all - Autumn Glow.
All Eyes On Young Gun Sires at Karaka 2026
New Zealand is in the fortunate position of having an outstanding group of young stallions starting to make their mark, and the progeny of these exciting up-and-comers will be in demand at Karaka 2026.
Magic Time Awaits Bowness Stud
With six Book 1 yearlings and a further 14 catalogued in Book 2, Bowness Stud’s James and Jocelyn Daly head to this year’s Magic Millions yearling sale full of confidence in the draft which is headlined by eight yearlings from resident sire and G1 Rosehill Guineas winner D’Argento, the best performed son of So You Think at stud.