Top filly Dijon Bleu (NZ) (Burgundy) will put her stamina to the test when she attempts to extend her New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series lead in Saturday's $100,000 Group 2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa.
The Lisa Latta-trained runner has led throughout the 2017-18 Series. She won the first leg, the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), then placed in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1550m). She returned to winning form in style last start, scoring a dominant victory in the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m).
Dijon Bleu has earned 22 points, giving her a significant lead over the second-placedContessa Vanessa(NZ) (Bullbars) with 13.5.
The five victories in Dijon Bleu's career to date have come over 1100 metres, 1200 metres (twice), 1400 metres and 1600 metres. Saturday's 2000-metre event will present a new challenge.
The other runners in Saturday's field with Filly of the Year Series points to their name areKapoor(NZ) (Reliable Man) with 4,Marcellina(NZ) (Savabeel) with 2 andMilseain(NZ) (Tavistock) with 1.5, so Dijon Bleu's Series lead is not under threat this weekend.
The Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic is the seventh leg of the Filly of the Year Series, which features a total of 10 races.
The Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic will be run as Race 4 at Te Rapa on Saturday with a start time of 2.05pm.
NZB Release