What a great result for My Emotion when winning the Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic last Friday night. The three-year-old Savabeel filly, a Group 3 winner as a juvenile, will now head to the Group 1 Australasian Oaks in Adelaide on March 20.

Pins and O'Reilly have once again proved very popular at the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne this week. Pins sold up to A$150,000 while the O'Reilly colt from Frankish sold to Star Thoroughbreds for $170,000 and will be trained by leading Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse. Both stallions averaged in excess of $100,000.

There's more than just the $2.2 million that connections will be chasing in the NZ Derby at Ellerslie on Saturday. The ’blue riband' event is likely to decide the NZ 3YO Of The Year Title. Pins filly Katie Lee, who has already secured the 'Filly Of The Year' award, faces her toughest test, stepping up to 2400 metres for the first time. Among her opposition is WS born, raised and sold No Emotion, a son of Savabeel.

KATIE LEE Group 1 Ellerslie 5:09pm (Sat)
NO EMOTION Group 1 Ellerslie 5:09pm (Sat)

Earlier in the day, WS bred and raced Pins mare Miss Caruso is after black type in the Listed Westbury Classic. At her last start, she finished a close up third to fellow WS bred and raced Daffodil.

MISS CARUSO Listed Ellerslie 3:45pm (Sat)

The three-year-old fillies continue their preparations towards the Group 1 NZ Oaks on March 20 in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes at Hastings. Savabeel will be represented by two runners - WS bred and raced Promenade, a half sister to 2006 Oaks winner Legs and the ultra consistent Sazzana.

PROMENADE Group 3 Hastings 4:09pm (Sat)
SAZZANA Group 3 Hastings 4:09pm (Sat)

It's a massive day's racing in Australia on Saturday with three Group 1 events at Flemington and the Group 1 Chipping Norton at Warwick Farm.

The first of the Group 1 races at Flemington is the A$1 million Newmarket Handicap. Eight year old Pins gelding El Segundo will pass A$4 million in prize money should he finish among the placings. The four-time Group 1 winner should not be taken lightly as he has performed well down the Flemington straight in the past.

EL SEGUNDO Group 1 Flemington 4:35pm (Sat)

O'Reilly gelding Master O'Reilly runs in the A$1 million Australian Cup. The Danny O'Brien seven -year-old is closing in on A$3 million in prize money. He has drawn well and is always competitive over the 2000 metres at Flemington.

MASTER O'REILLY Group 1 Flemington 6:05pm (Sat)

Shamrocker, a stable mate of Master O'Reilly races in stakes company for the first time in the Group 2 Sires Produce. The two-year-old daughter of O'Reilly impressed last start, winning at Sandown - at just her second raceday start.

SHAMROCKER Group 2 Flemington 2:40pm (Sat)

The Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes has been a very good race for WS in the past. In 2004, an exciting colt called Starcraft won before going on to be named 'World Champion Miler'. Then last year the WS bred Vision And Power ran second to Tuesday Joy. Once again he lines up – let’s hope he goes one better!

VISION AND POWER Group 1 W. Farm 6:25pm (Sat)

At Ascot in Western Australia, WS bred O'Reilly filly Fromm competes in the Group 3 Champion Fillies Stakes. The three-year-old began her career in New Zealand, winning on debut at Te Rapa.

FROMM Group 3 Ascot 9:20pm (Sat)

MARK'S MAIL

What a great day's racing it promises to be - the best three-year-olds in NZ 'face off' in the $2.2 million NZ Derby, Australia's best sprinters run in the $1 million Newmarket while the WFA stars do battle in the $1 million Australian Cup!

For a full list of horses associated with Waikato Stud, go to Weekend Runners.. Please note all times are NZ times. 

Good luck and good punting!