Kiss (NZ) Crushes Rivals in Group Two Breeders Crown Triumph

A brilliant staying performance saw Kiss (NZ) (Always B Miki) dominate the Group Two A$100,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Fillies Final (2240m) at Melton on Saturday night.

The NZB Standardbred graduate worked harder than her rivals, racing three-wide and then parked throughout the Victorian feature.

But the classy New Zealand bred shrugged off that extra effort, still managing to unleash a brilliant 26.7sec final 400m to record a big win for trainer Emma Stewart and driver James Herbertson.

Herbertson was caught wide early from barrier 7, electing to keep Kiss out of trouble working her up outside the leader.

The reinsman admitted he had little other option, but it let the filly’s outstanding staying prowess shine through.

“She had to do it the hard from the barrier draw,” Herbertson said.

“She probably lacks that little bit of gate speed if she did draw well to be tactical, but she is so strong.”

“When I had Sweetnikkilou come off my back she just woke up and towed me to the line.”

“She is a quirky filly and she isn’t the easiest to get along with but she was able to get into a rhythm sitting outside of them and out-grind them to the line.”

“Probably the best filly won the race.”

Kiss was purchased by Montana Park for $20,000 when she was offered by Alabar at the 2021 National Weanling Sale at Auckland.

Breckon Farms is set to offer another outstanding draft at the 2025 National Yearling Sale at Karaka on February 25.

Catalogues for the sale will be online and in mailboxes this month.

Kiss put a strong record together for trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan before her sale to a big group of Australian owners.

The three-year-old had produced consistent efforts in feature races since crossing the Tasman and joining the Emma Stewart stable before her career-best victory in Saturday night’s feature.

Vendor	Alabar NZ
Purchaser	Montana Park P/L
Breeding	Always B Miki - Weownthenight Bay Filly
Sale	2021 National Standardbred Weanling Sale, Auckland $20,000
Breeder	Alabar NZ