KEY POINTS:
Last season's top 3-year-old filly Shikoba has been retired after finishing fourth at Hastings on Saturday.
Shikoba started the favourite for a $25,000 open class handicap over 2000m but after being beaten nearly three lengths it was decided she would be retired to stud.
The Chief Bearhart 4-year-old was the top performer among the country's 3-year-old fillies last season.
She completed a hat-trick of wins in group two $100,000 races for 3-year-old fillies when taking out the Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and the Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie and the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa.
Earlier that season she was beaten a nose by Wahid in the group one $200,000 Levin Classic (1600m) for 3-year-olds at Otaki.
Overall she has a record of 19 starts for seven wins, three seconds and two thirds for stake earnings of $307,000.
* Stakes increases have been confirmed for the first two legs of the Hawkes Bay group one spring treble at Hastings.
The Mudgway Stakes (1400m) on September 1 and the Stoney Bridge Stakes (1600m) on September 22 will both be worth $250,000.
The stake for the Mudgway has increased by $50,000 from last year while the Stoney Bridge is up by $100,000.
Earlier this year it was confirmed the stake for the third leg, the Kelt Capital Stakes, on October 6, had been doubled to $2 million.
- NZPA
