Promising filly Zurella stamped herself as a leading contender for this season’s classics with an impressive victory in the G3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m).at Awapuni.

The Eulogy Stakes was the fourth leg of NZ Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year Series.  The win put her in equal third place behind Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Abeautifulred (Handsome Ransom).

Zurella (3f Zabeel – Doneze Girl by ) is trained by Shaune Ritchie and she came from well back for a powerful half a length win at Awapuni.  Zabeel has now sired 138 individual stakes winners.  

Zurella has won three of her four starts and looks a classic type holding nominations for the G1 New Zealand Derby and NZ Oaks in March next year.  

She is a homebred for Dick Karreman’s The Oaks Stud and has a Sakhee’s Secret half-sister in the 2012 NZB Premier Sale catalogued as Lot 171.

The next leg of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year Series is the G2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on December 26.