Worth a massive 12 points to the winner, the Group One Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) is always a pivotal race in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.
The prestigious Riccarton classic has been won by some of this country's standout fillies of the last few decades, and the red-hot favourite for the 2022 edition has strong credentials to join that honour roll on Saturday afternoon.
The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) heads into the $400,000 feature with a perfect three-from-three record to her name, and a rapidly growing reputation.
After impressive come-from-behind wins in her first two starts at Matamata and Te Rapa, Legarto stepped up to stakes class in last month's Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and went to a whole new level. After settling in second-last, she went into overdrive in the straight to score by a rapidly expanding margin of three lengths.
No unbeaten filly has won the 1000 Guineas since the mighty Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross) in 2005, but Legarto's astonishing dominance has earned her $1.40 favouritism.
The 1000 Guineas is the third leg of the 2022-23 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, and Legarto and the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) winner Best Seller (NZ) (Wrote) head into it as equal leaders with 6 points apiece.
The Gold Trail was the second leg of an impressive early-spring double for Best Seller, whose only appearance since then was a sixth in the Group Two Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m). A former favourite for Saturday's race, she is now heading into it under the radar.
The Guineas field also features stakes winner One Kiss (NZ) (Tivaci) and blacktype placegetters Romancing The Moon (NZ) (El Roca), Perfectly Suited (NZ) (Savile Row) and Kikimora (NZ) (Shamexpress).
Romancing The Moon ran second to Legarto in last month's Soliloquy, moving into third on the Filly of the Year Series table with 3 points.
As well as the 12 points available to the winner, the second and third placegetters in Saturday's New Zealand 1000 Guineas will earn 7 and 3.5 points respectively.
The New Zealand 1000 Guineas will be run as Race 7 at Riccarton on Saturday, with a start time of 2:43pm.
| # | HORSE | DRAW | COMMENTS | SALE | PURCHASER | TRAINER | JOCKEY |
| 1 | Legarto | 4 | An overwhelming $1.40 favourite, the super-impressive Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) will step out on to the Riccarton track with a perfect three-from-three record. She has charged home from off the pace to win with ease on every occasion, most recently the Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). She is equal leader on the NZB Filly of the Year Series table with 6 points. | Karaka 2021, Book 2 | Ancroft Stud, $90,000 | Ken & Bev Kelso | Ryan Elliot |
| 2 | Best Seller | 5 | Best Seller (NZ) (Wrote) was Group Two-placed last season, and she began the spring with back-to-back victories including the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m). Her most recent appearance was a sixth in the Group Two Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m) on October 8. Her 6 points in the NZB Filly of the Year Series give her a share of the lead alongside Legarto. | Karaka 2021, Book 2 | Challenge Racehorse Syndications, $12,000 | John Bary | Sam Spratt |
| 3 | One Kiss | 7 | One Kiss (NZ) (Tivaci) is already a stakes winner at this course, taking out the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) on September 17 to take an early lead in the NZB South Island Filly of the Year Series. Her only start since then was in the Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), where she had excuses when finishing fifth. | Mark Walker | Michael McNab | ||
| 4 | Romancing The Moon | 1 | A daughter of Group One performer Underthemoonlight (NZ) (El Hermano), Te Akau's Romancing The Moon (NZ) (El Roca) has been a big improver through the spring. She debuted with a fourth at Taupo in August, followed by a second in the Listed O'Learys Fillies' Stakes (1200m), a second in a maiden race, a three-length maiden win, and a commendable last-start second to Legarto in the Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). | Karaka 2021, Book 1 | DC Ellis, $50,000 | Mark Walker | Josh Parr |
| 5 | Perfectly Suited | 9 | A six-length winner on debut, Perfectly Suited (NZ) (Savile Row) charged home from a clear last to be an eye-catching second in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m). She finished second-last at Ashburton in a performance that was too bad to be true, then bounced back well with a last-start placing on October 30. | Shane Kennedy & Anna Furlong | Samantha Wynne | ||
| 6 | Blue Solitaire | 3 | The second of two runners in this field carrying the distinctive gold and navy blue colours of owner-breeder Kevin Hickman, Blue Solitaire (NZ) (Almanzor) won a maiden race in good style at this track on October 1. She then took on the Group Three War Decree Stakes (1600m), where she struck some trouble in the running on her way to a fifth placing. | Shane Kennedy & Anna Furlong | Daniel Stackhouse | ||
| 7 | O'Riordan | 8 | Proisir filly O'Riordan (NZ) has yet to put a foot wrong in her four-start career. She ran second on debut, then won at Otaki before placing at Otaki and Hastings. This is her first start beyond 1300 metres. | Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard | Lisa Allpress | ||
| 8 | Kikimora | 2 | Kikimora (NZ) (Shamexpress) is still a maiden but has been a model of consistency, placing in six of her seven starts. That includes a black-type placing at this track in September, finishing third in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m). | Shane Kennedy & Anna Furlong | Kavish Chowdhoory | ||
| 9 | Kindred Spirit | 6 | Bred, part-owned and trained by Michael Pitman in partnership with son Matthew, local filly Kindred Spirit (NZ) (El Doute) has shown promise with placings in three of her six starts so far. This is her first start at stakes level. | Michael & Matthew Pitman | Diego Montes de Oca |
