Real Class (NZ) Rises in NZB Filly of the Year Standings

Ellerslie’s Christmas Carnival has been a significant week for Real Class (NZ) (Vadamos), who has rapidly risen to third on the NZB Filly of the Year Series points table with a pair of big black-type performances.

The Jenna Mahoney-trained Real Class was a strong-finishing third in the $270,000 Group Two Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day. The extra distance of the $270,000 Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) on New Year’s Day paved the way to an impressive win, lifting her total to 10 points.

That puts her well within striking distance of the top of the table, with the two leaders – Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) on 21 points and Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) on 15 – being pointed towards the Group One Sistema Railway (1200m) and unlikely to feature over longer distances later in the series.

Real Class produced an eye-catching performance in the Eight Carat on Boxing Day, charging home from last and clocking the fastest sectional times in the field for her final 800, 600 and 400 metres. She was sent out as one of the favourites for the Sir Patrick Hogan on Wednesday, and once again she rose to the occasion.

Jockey Rory Hutchings settled Real Class in midfield in a slowly run race, then elected to make a move a long way from home. She went out three wide at the 800-metre mark and began to surge forward, swooping around the outside of the field and bounding to the lead before the home turn.

Bella Montagna (NZ) (Belardo) and Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) chased bravely down the straight, but Real Class was too good and scored by three-quarters of a length.

“She’s a class filly on the rise,” Hutchings said. “She had to do it the hard way, taking off 800 metres out, but they were going slow and I couldn’t hold her any longer.

“She put them away comfortably. The further she goes, the better she’ll be.”

The Nearco Stud-bred Real Class has now had four starts for two wins and a placing, earning $190,820 in stakes for Mahoney, who shares ownership with her partner Grant Dixon.

Real Class is out of Mill Duckie (NZ) (Magic Ring), who won eight races including the Listed Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie, which is now a Group Three race. Mill Duckie was also a dual Group One placegetter, including in the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham – a race that now looms as an obvious target for Real Class.

“She should love the 2400 metres,” Mahoney said. “We’ve had a bit to do with this family, and we ended up being offered the opportunity to carry on with her. It’s nice to have a handy one like her in the stable, although there has been a fair bit of interest from Australia, so we’ll see what happens.”

Wednesday’s placegetters Bella Montagna and Island Life earned 4 and 2 points respectively in the NZB Filly of the Year Series.

With six of the 11 legs run and won, the standings now see Alabama Lass, Captured By Love and Real Class at the head of affairs with 21, 15 and 10 points respectively.

Hitabell (NZ) (Embellish) is fourth with 8 points, followed by Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) with 6 and Kitty Flash (NZ) (Ace High), Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth) and Bella Montagna with 4 each.

Movin’ Out (NZ) (Staphanos) has 3.5 points, which puts her just ahead of Connello (NZ) (Time Test) on 3. Love Poem (Snitzel) and Island Life have 2 points apiece, while Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) and Skymax (NZ) (Ferrando) complete the table with 1.5 points each.

The NZB Filly of the Year Series continues at Trentham on January 18 with the running of the $200,000 Group Three NZB Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) – the only remaining leg of the series that will be run over a distance shorter than 2000 metres.