Filly closer to crown

Busy is best for New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year frontrunner Dijon Bleu.

The Awapuni three-year-old won the first leg of the series, the group three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and subsequently placed in the group one New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and the group three Eulogy Stakes (1550m).

She then posted a dominant victory in the group three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and at Te Rapa yesterday she produced a commanding display to waltz away with the group two Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2000m).

Dijon Bleu now has 30 points in the Filly of the Year series with her closest rival Contessa Vanessa on 13.5.

Trainer Lisa Latta has yet to fully commit Dijon Bleu to next month’s group one Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m), but it’s becoming hard to argue against.

“We’ll head to the Lowland Stakes first and take it from there, she’s been up a long time,” the Awapunibased trainer said.

Dijon Bleu was making her first start beyond a mile at Te Rapa and she took it all in her stride for rider Jonathan Riddell, who replaced a suspended Leith Innes.

They settled back of midfield and when gaps opened in the straight the filly sprinted to the front 300m from home and forged clear for a hollow victory.

“I said to Jonathan to put her to sleep somewhere so she could relax,” Latta said.

“There’s a lot of fillies in there bred to stay and she’s not, but she has got a blistering turn of foot.”

Dijon Bleu had three-quarters of a length on the second-placed Mark Two, who came from last, at the post with Milseain third ahead of Rondinella.

“I did all the two-year-old work on her and it’s a credit to Lisa to have kept her up for a while,” Riddell said. “She’s just a class horse.”