The running of the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Breeders' Stakes at Te Aroha on Saturday is shaping up to be somewhat of a tri-nations test with Aussie trainer Lee Freedman and his two South African-bred mares tripping across the Tasman to take on the Kiwi girls.

A field of 13 will contest the $200,000 mile race, the only race at Group 1 level solely for fillies and mares in New Zealand.

Returning to defend her title is last year's winner, Dane Julia (Caesour x Precious Julia by Danehill) who travelled to New Zealand with stable-mate Emblem of Liberty (National Emblem x Dafka by Kendor) who sports some impressive South African form including Group 1 win last January in the Kenilworth Paddock Stakes (1800m).

Both Freedman charges have been based at Tony Pike's Cambridge stables after arriving via NZB Airfreight on Monday with travelling foreman Scott Magee commenting on the duo yesterday "Both horses travelled really well and haven't left an oat since they arrived. The pulled up great after their pace work this morning and we couldn't be happier with them. Emblem of Liberty is possibly more on the way up but Dane Julia is in good form and she prefers the right handed way of going as she proved winning in Sydney so this could again be the perfect race for her. It's really hard to split them".

Trainer of two of the top hopes for the home team, Stephen McKee is confident both of his Groupo 1 winning charges Culminate (Elnadim x Solstice by Marceau) and Boundless (Van Nistelrooy x Nothing Less by Star Way) are at the top of their game. "But Dane Julia will be hard to beat. You couldn't be disappointed with a placing to her though, her form really stacks up" he said of last year's winner.

When asked to split his pair McKee found it difficult "First up over at mile seems to be Boundless' thing and then Culminate is just so honest, she always runs a good race."

Culminate finished second to Special Mission in the race two years ago and bypassed last year's running. Instead she took on the Aussies in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) finishing a huge second to Peter Moody's outstanding racemare Typhoon Tracy.

Third in the race last year was Veloce Bella (Volksraad x Wave to Lottie by Crested Wave). She recently broke through for her well deserved first Group 1 win in the Whakanui International Stakes in February and has since been freshened. Trained by Mark Brosnan, the six-year-old will be ridden by Opie Bosson.

After a slashing win in the Group 2 BOP RC Japan Cup (1600m), Casabella Lane (Volksraad x Kaapentyne by Kaapstad) enters the race with some good form for Jim Pender. Jason Collet will retain the ride.

Beating Casabella Lane to the line the start before was the The Oaks Stud's runner, Obsession (Bachelor Duke x Mystery Creek by Kaapstad) in the Listed Westbury Classic (1400m) at Ellerslie on Derby Day. She and Lady Chaparral (High Chaparral x Images by Gleam Machine) are the two lightweight chances in the race with the three-year-olds jumping from barriers three and five respectively.

Finishing just over a length in arrears of Obsession in the Westbury in her last start is the John Sargent runner, Ruud Van Slaats (Van Nistelrooy x Quintilla by Danehill). In form rider Mark Du Plessis will guide the five-year-old from barrier 11.

Multiple stakes-winner Juice (Bertolini x Call Minder by Christmas Tree) will jump from barrier seven with Hayden Tinsley in the saddle for the John Wheeler-trained four-year-old.

Successful trio Fraser Auret, Lisa Allpress and Sharp Princess (Pins x She's Snubbed by O'Reilly) drew barrier nine in their bid for Group 1 glory and their hopes of stringing together a hat-trick of wins.

Rounding off the field is the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson runner Rendzina (Testa Rossa x Capto by Octagonal) and Andrew Scott's Capacia (Cape Cross x Cattleya by Tale of the Cat).