The title of NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year is on the line for O’Reilly filly Miss Selby this Saturday, when she sets out in the Gr.1 Wellfield Stud New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham. The last start winner of the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes has been a model of consistency, placing in all six of her career starts. As a consequence, the John Bary-trained galloper has netted 12 points in the prestigious NZB-sponsored Filly series, with victory on Saturday securing a vital 12 points which would see her overtake Costa Viva (20.5 pts), Hera (O’Reilly) and Bounding (13 pts). Whilst these three horses are notable omissions on Saturday, Miss Selby is tipped to face her stiffest opposition in the form of the last start Gr.3 Sunline Vase winner Rock Diva and from no less than four other WS-sired chances (see picture below). FRIDAY BARDEM 10g G2 Alister Clark Stakes 2040m MVRC 11:15pm Savabeel x Vanessatheundressa by Carnegie SATURDAY MEDIA WORLD 09f Listed NZ St Leger 2500m WTC 2:25pm O’Reilly x Highflying by Entrepreneur ROSEHIP 08f Listed NZ St Leger 2500m WTC 2:25pm Savabeel x Prickle by Pins JIMMY HOFFA 10c Listed NZ St Leger 2500m WTC 2:25pm Savabeel x Sentura by Volksraad SHEZGORGEOUS 08f G3 Cuddle Stakes 1600m WTC 3:36pm O’Reilly x Kiki Dee by Centaine LAUREN TATE 09f G3 Cuddle Stakes 1600m WTC 3:36pm Pins x Haylee Baylee by Oregon ANTONIO LOMBARDO 08g Listed Lightning Handicap 1200m WTC 4:11pm Pins x Petit Verdot by Carnegie EIGHT SCHILLINGS 07g Listed Lightning Handicap 1200m WTC 4:11pm O’Reilly x Landon by Shannon PIMMS TIME 08f Listed Lightning Handicap 1200m WTC 4:11pm Pins x Brampton Legs by Zabeel BELLAPIN 08f Listed Lightning Handicap 1200m WTC 4:11pm Pins x Dazzling Belle by Desert Sun FAR FATCHED 10f G1 NZ Oaks 2400m WTC 4:46pm Pins x Beyond by Centaine MISS SELBY 10f G1 NZ Oaks 2400m WTC 4:46pm O’Reilly x Singing Star by Danasinga SPORTS ILLUSTRATED 10f G1 NZ Oaks 2400m WTC 4:46pm FastnFamous x Pin Up by Pins QUEENOFTHEAMAZON 10f G1 NZ Oaks 2400m WTC 4:46pm Savabeel x Thalestris by Black Minnaloushe TIARA 10f G1 NZ Oaks 2400m WTC 4:46pm O’Reilly x Celtic Rose by Stravinsky PRETTY PINS 08f G3 Aspiration H 1600m ATC 5:02pm Pins x Luna Tudor by Military Plume KNEAD THE DOUGH 09f G3 Aspiration H 1600m ATC 5:02pm O’Reilly x Knocknacrea by Green Desert ANGEL BEE 09f G3 Roy Higgins Tribute H 1200m ATC 6:12pm Pins x Zabeels Angel by Zabeel SAVVY NATURE 10g G1 Royal Randwick Guineas 1600 ATC 6:47pm Savabeel x Generous Nature by Generous SACRED FALLS 09c G1 Canterbury Stakes 1300m ATC 7:22pm O’Reilly x Iguazu’s Girl by Redoute’s Choice SHAME ON YOU L Lisboa Juvenile 1200m Macau 8:45pm No Excuse Needed x My Parlay by Flying Spur PINS PERHAPS 10f L Natasha S 2200m WATC 9:00pm Pins x Penticton by Pentire SUNDAY FLAME HERO 09g HK-1 Hong Kong Derby HKJC 9:35pm Savabeel x Rhysess by Pins Kevin Hickman’s talented 5YO O'Reilly mare Silent Achiever will take an impeccable New Zealand formline to the Sydney autumn carnival after proving too good for weight-for-age rivals at Ellerslie in last Saturday’s Gr.1 Lindauer New Zealand Stakes. “It was a nice effort and she probably had to do that to take on the programme I’ve outlined for her,” trainer Roger James said. Silent Achiever settled toward the back of the field and one off the rail before she sprinted to the front 150 metres from home and then cruised clear to win by a length and a half. “She got the job done nicely and she’ll race in two weeks’ time in the Ranvet, two weeks after that in The BMW and then another two weeks on to the Sydney Cup.” Silent Achiever was partnered by James’s former apprentice Vinnie Colgan, who had to wait two years to collect his Group One victory aboard the mare. He was her regular rider during the early part of her 3YO season before he was sidelined by an injury that cost him the winning turn in the 2012 New Zealand Derby. Colgan said it wasn’t all plain sailing but Silent Achiever’s quality quickly put the issue beyond doubt in the straight. “She pulled a bit in the running and I was a little worried she was doing too much. But her acceleration was outstanding – in the last furlong she really put paid to them.” Source: NZ News Desk Beckham was rated as “one of the best I’ve got” by co-trainer Peter McKay before he made his debut at Matamata on Wednesday and the royally- bred colt didn’t disappoint. The Pins three-year-old bounced out of the barrier to sit on the pace and asserted his superiority in the straight to win by a length and a-half. Bred and raced by WS, the handsome colt is the fourth foal of the farm’s dual Group One winner Glamour Puss. The Tale of the Cat mare now has a perfect record at stud with Heritage, Hollywood and Vogue all previously successful. “He’s a real blueblood – he’s got it all there,” rider Vinnie Colgan said. “He stepped out of the gates well and was very tractable and he gave me a really nice feel in the last 200 metres.” Favourite comfort food: Love chocolate. Best Horse Ridden Zonda Favourite TV show: 2 ½ Men – the original series Book on the bedside table: Don’t read much. If you weren't a jockey, you'd be: A Jockey Manager What do you do to relax: As little as possible. Like to lie on the couch watching tele. Who would you love to meet or have met: Tiger Woods Favourite holiday destination: Fiji Favourite thing about Waikato Stud: Getting beautiful horses to ride. Career Influencers: Noel Harris and Roger James. Favourite Film: Shawshank Redemption Career Highlight: Winning 5 Derbies – Zonda, Roysyn, Hades, Redoute’s Dancer and Habibi Best piece of good advice: Never care what others are doing. Focus on yourself. If someone was going to play you in a He’s not little but Denzel Washington would be good. movie, it would be Not many people would know that... I’m a bit like an old women. I like to keep a tidy house and everything has to be ironed. Tough Savabeel 5YO Classique Ivory landed a notable Cups double in Australia last night. Having successfully taken out the Listed Kalgoorlie Cup (2300m) in September, Classique Ivory struck this noted Cups double with an impressive win under jockey Shaun O’Donnell in the Listed Bunbury Cup. Raced by Warren Simcoe and trained by Gino Poletti, Classique Ivory has now won seven of his career starts, with earnings now reaching A$310,370 Bred by Waikato Stud, Classique Ivory is out of the Senor Pete mare Senorita Ivory. Senorita Ivory is a stakes placed winner of four races and a half-sister to the Gr 1 Thorndon Mile winner Sir Kinloch. Australian stakes winners Dysphonia and Scarf, who has a black-type victory in England to his credit as well, are also members of the family. Classique Ivory is one of 10 stakes winners for sire Savabeel this season. Waikato Stud’s sired-and-raised graduate Dulcify was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame this week. Bred R Porter of Fielding in 1975, Dulcify was rated by Hall of Fame trainer Colin Hayes as the greatest horse he ever trained, winning 10 of 21 starts. Whilst Gr.1 victories notably included the Victoria Derby, the VRC Australian Cup, the Rosehill Guineas, the AJC Derby and the LKS Mackinnon Stakes, it is his a record 7 length victory in the 1979 Cox Plate, that he is best remembered for (pictured left). “I always say I was a passenger that day. He was just an exceptional galloper – a bit like So You Think in this day and age. I’ve seen my fair share but there would not be many better than Dulcify,” recalled his jockey Brent Thomson. Unlike So You Think however, Dulcify was not necessary blessed with movie star looks.Offered at the 1977 New Zealand National Yearling Sale, Dulcify boasted a smart pedigree but was considered undesirable by many due to his slight parrot mouth. “He wasn’t badly undershot. He was a plain bay horse, who was very athletic,” recalled Thomson. Fortunately, Colin Hayes appreciated an early hint of this athleticism and secured the star colt with a paltry bid of NZ$3,500. “It just goes to show you, they don’t necessarily have to be expensive to be good,” said Thomson. Group 1 racing took centre stage at Ellerslie last weekend, and we were clearly reminded how successful the O’Reilly /Zabeel cross is proving to be. Silent Achiever was so impressive winning the New Zealand Stakes, and making it her 6th win at Group level. O’Marilyn is a new performer on the Gr. 1 stage, and the 2yo filly showed her wonderful fighting qualities when trying so hard to get past Vespa in the Diamond Stakes; falling short by just ¼ of a length. The results to date when sending mares carrying Zabeel anywhere in their pedigree to O’Reilly have been very encouraging. There have been only 27 runners bred this way to date, but they have already produced the 3 stakes winners Silent Achiever, Pussy Willow and Collar for an 11.1% SW/Rnrs ratio overall.