With Epsom, Royal Ascot and a feast of top-class flat racing around the corner, it may appear strange that once again this column is focusing on National Hunt fillies. However, it is for very good reason.

Repetition in advertising is a means to keep a brand or a product in a consumer’s mind, making them instantly think of that product when they are looking for something particular. It can lead to fatigue also – or even annoyance – if a jingle or catchphrase is annoying. It is therefore important that repetition occurs in the right proportion and it should be timely.

The Irish Field was a willing partner with the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association when it launched the National Hunt Fillies’ Bonus Scheme and the impact that it has had has been very gratifying. Furthermore, there have been a number of other initiatives which have been good for fillies, including the introduction of a series of Grade 1 races for mares.

There can be no doubt that the quality of National Hunt fillies and mares running in recent seasons is the highest it has been for many years, if ever. The growing attraction of fillies has also been demonstrated in the sales ring and this week a point-to-point winning mare set a record price for her sex when selling at Brightwells for £200,000. This followed a store filly topping the DBS Spring Sale.

The attitude of trainers and bloodstock agents has and is still shifting in a positive way to fillies, and for owners there is the residual value of fillies when their racing days are over. This is an often forgotten advantage that they have over geldings and a selling point to new owners.

Goffs and Tattersalls Ireland are gearing up for their principal store sales in June and a look at their catalogues shows that fillies are increasing in numbers compared to years ago. Goffs will be first up with their Land Rover Sale and 14.5% of their entries are fillies.

That percentage increases at the Derby Sale where, overall, fillies amount to 21% of all the lots catalogued over three days. In Part 1 of the catalogue they make up 18.4% of the numbers – so nearly one in five lots is a filly.

Most of the leading vendors in both catalogues include fillies in their drafts and it is good to see this happening.

The fight for full acceptance may still have a distance to go, but the race is well on and fillies are showing the way.