In the past two months seven lucky filly owners and trainers have each taken home up to an extra $11,500 in bonus prize money thanks to the Pearl Series Bonus Scheme.
Instigated by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association prior to the Karaka sales in 2013 to add to the attraction of racing fillies, the scheme is sponsored by NZB Insurance. It features bonuses for fillies and mares of almost $2.6 million and prizemoney of nearly $2.8 million across 215 individual races for each crop of enrolled fillies and mares over three seasons' racing.
So far this season 49 bonus races have been run and 15 bonuses have been struck. Of those 13 have been for three-year-old fillies (the eldest eligible crop) and two for two-year-olds.
Heeby Jeeby was one of the recent bonus winners, winning a NZB Insurance Pearl Series maiden 1200 at Whangarei this month.
She is owned by Bruce Sherwin and trained by Tony Pike. Sherwin purchased the Pins filly as a weanling and nominated her in the 2013.
"I think it is a fantastic series," enthused Pike," and I have around half a dozen fillies in my stable who are Pearl Series qualified. We specifically targeted the Pearl Series races with this filly and it paid off.
She ran second in the first one and then came out and won at Ruakaka, that extra $11,500 goes along way for an owner and it's a great incentive. We have given this filly a bit of a break for three or four weeks, but when she comes back I will be chasing some of the rating 65 races that have the bonus as well.
I have another Pentire filly in the stable that is also Pearl Series qualified and she will be targeting a race at Avondale next week. I wish I had more in the stable.
I will definitely be paying up for any fillies I buy at the sales this year."
Entries are currently being taken by the NZTBA for the third intake of fillies. Any 2013 filly foaled in the southern hemisphere are eligible whether she be home-bred, purchased at a sale or privately. Earlybird entries close on February 28, 2015 with regular entries being held open until July 31, 2015.
Earlybird nominations are only $690.00 (inc. GST) per filly which equates to just 6% of one midweek bonus of $11,500, so it certainly does pay for every filly to be entered into the scheme to pick up the cash just waiting to be won. Please come and visit the NZTBA marquee at the Karaka Yearling Sales next week for further information and to nominate you filly. Entry forms are also available on our website. www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz
- Michelle Saba/Nicola Griffiths
Instigated by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association prior to the Karaka sales in 2013 to add to the attraction of racing fillies, the scheme is sponsored by NZB Insurance. It features bonuses for fillies and mares of almost $2.6 million and prizemoney of nearly $2.8 million across 215 individual races for each crop of enrolled fillies and mares over three seasons' racing.
So far this season 49 bonus races have been run and 15 bonuses have been struck. Of those 13 have been for three-year-old fillies (the eldest eligible crop) and two for two-year-olds.
Heeby Jeeby was one of the recent bonus winners, winning a NZB Insurance Pearl Series maiden 1200 at Whangarei this month.
She is owned by Bruce Sherwin and trained by Tony Pike. Sherwin purchased the Pins filly as a weanling and nominated her in the 2013.
"I think it is a fantastic series," enthused Pike," and I have around half a dozen fillies in my stable who are Pearl Series qualified. We specifically targeted the Pearl Series races with this filly and it paid off.
She ran second in the first one and then came out and won at Ruakaka, that extra $11,500 goes along way for an owner and it's a great incentive. We have given this filly a bit of a break for three or four weeks, but when she comes back I will be chasing some of the rating 65 races that have the bonus as well.
I have another Pentire filly in the stable that is also Pearl Series qualified and she will be targeting a race at Avondale next week. I wish I had more in the stable.
I will definitely be paying up for any fillies I buy at the sales this year."
Entries are currently being taken by the NZTBA for the third intake of fillies. Any 2013 filly foaled in the southern hemisphere are eligible whether she be home-bred, purchased at a sale or privately. Earlybird entries close on February 28, 2015 with regular entries being held open until July 31, 2015.
Earlybird nominations are only $690.00 (inc. GST) per filly which equates to just 6% of one midweek bonus of $11,500, so it certainly does pay for every filly to be entered into the scheme to pick up the cash just waiting to be won. Please come and visit the NZTBA marquee at the Karaka Yearling Sales next week for further information and to nominate you filly. Entry forms are also available on our website. www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz
- Michelle Saba/Nicola Griffiths
