Guineas favourites clash again in Soliloquy
Richard Edmunds - Raceform • October 17th, 2025 10:39 AM • 4 min read
Only a nose separated Tajana and Lollapalooza at the end of their stirring battle in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase at Ellerslie last month, and this Saturday’s Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes at the same venue marks the second round of their developing rivalry.
The two fillies have emerged as early leaders of their generation and now boast three Group Three victories between them. Tajana kicked off her season with a last-to-first performance in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes at Ruakaka in August, and Lollapalooza followed suit with a flying finish from nowhere to take out the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes in early September.
Their eagerly anticipated clash in the 1400-metre Sunline Vase on September 20 lived up to expectations. They roared home from off the pace and hit the front together in the final 100 metres, fighting out a head-bobbing battle to the finish.
The TAB rates Tajana and Lollapalooza the equal $3.50 favourites for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 8.
“It’s always cool when a couple of exciting fillies emerge and there isn’t much between them,” Tajana’s co-trainer Shaune Ritchie said. “Whenever they clash, it’s an exciting thing for the sport and for the public.
“Those two fillies are at the top of the list at this point of the season, and Saturday’s Soliloquy and then the 1000 Guineas over the Riccarton mile look like ideal races for both of them. Long may the competition continue – especially if the results continue to go the way they did in the Sunline!
“There are other good fillies out there as well, but with the quirky weather patterns, trainers are having to sit on them a bit longer. You’re not prepared to run nice horses on wet ground and affect their confidence. So I wouldn’t be surprised to see some other up-and-comers begin to emerge, but it’s nice to have one of the leading fillies at this stage of the season anyway.”
Tajana galloped between races at Taupo on Friday.
“I was delighted with that,” Ritchie said. “With four weeks between races, we decided not to trial her with this unfortunate run of wet tracks we’ve been having for trial meetings. We thought a day out at Taupo would just tighten her up that little bit to have her ready to go in the Soliloquy.
“We weren’t chasing time, but she dragged George Rooke down the straight and past the finish line. Even when she was cantering back, George had a bit of trouble easing her up. She went past the birdcage and up the straight a little bit. It shows she hasn’t lost any of her eagerness to run. We think she’s all set for the Soliloquy.”
Lollapalooza’s trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall are similarly pleased with their charge.
“It was a good race last time between a couple of classy fillies, and I’m looking forward to seeing them clash again on Saturday,” Richardson said. “Stephen Marsh also has a filly in there that looks pretty smart (Well Written), so it’s going to be an interesting race.
“We couldn’t be happier with Lollapalooza. She’s come through the Sunline very well. We gave her a couple of quiet days after that and then started building her up again. She’s been working nicely.
“All going well, this should set her up for the 1000 Guineas down in Christchurch. She’s booked to fly down on November 5.”
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