Hastings trainer John Bary has made no secret of his big opinion of 3-year-old filly Miss Selby, and she showed that promise in the Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni on Saturday.
She may have come out second best, but she and winner Whistling Dixie drew away from the rest of the
field and fought a desperate battle to the line. Miss Selby was denied victory by a long head, with third-placed Zaperb three lengths behind.
Zaperb had led throughout at the top of the straight had the field in deep trouble. But then Whistling Dixie and Miss Selby surged, racing past a brave Zaperb and waging a two-horse war to the line. Miss Selby lost little in defeat, proving that she belongs in the elite three-year-old filly company.
Miss Selby, a daughter of top sire O'Reilly and stakes-winning mare Singing Star, whose career highlight came with victory over Derby winner St Reims in the 2004 Waikato Gold Cup - the 2013 renewal of which was also run on Saturday. But, if her performances so far are anything to go by, Miss Selby could far exceed the feats of her well-performed mother.
Having run second on debut at Taupo behind a filly called Spellbinder - who has since won the Soliloquy Stakes and been placed in the Sarten Memorial and 1000 Guineas - she's hardly put a foot wrong, placing again at her second start before winning impressively at Awapuni three weeks ago. And Saturday's stakes placing was the best of all. Miss Selby is likely to be aimed towards the New Zealand Oaks, and she is also nominated for the New Zealand Derby - a race Bary won in 2011 with Jimmy Choux.
