Improving filly Miss Ella showed she could be a serious G1 New Zealand Oaks contender next month after her devastating win in the Listed NZ Oaks Prelude over 1,600m at Pukekohe on Wednesday, 23 February.
The daughter of Iffraaj and Kiwi mare Zenella blitzed her rivals with a dominant all-the-way win over Outfit and Miss Madison (Astern).
Well-rated by jockey Michael McNab, Miss Ella took her record to two wins and two placings from just six starts for Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh.
If Marsh decides against stepping Miss Ella up to the 2,400m of the NZ$400,000 feature, the filly also holds a nomination for the NZ$260,000 Levin Classic (1,600m) to be run at Trentham on the same day.
Miss Ella was bred at the famous Cambridge Stud and sold at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale to the Go Racing syndicate for NZ$240,000.
Miss Ella became the 82nd Stakes winner for Iffraaj, who won seven races and was placed twice from only 13 starts before retiring with a Timeform rating of 127.
Iffraaj has sired G1 winners that include sire sons Ribchester, Jungle Cat and Wootton Bassett plus Jon Snow, Turn Me Loose and rising West Australian star Western Empire.
The stallion stands at Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud in England for a service fee of £17,500.
