Belle back in business

Belle Of The Ball successfully returned to racing at Matamata on Tuesday afternoon with a stylish victory over 1600 metres in the Thames Cup.

The four-year-old daughter of Savabeel hadn’t raced since the 2500 metres of the Listed Metropolitan Trophy at Riccarton during November’s New Zealand Cup carnival had proved a step too far.

Freshened by trainer Mark Walker, the Waikato Stud-bred and sold mare resumed today off the back of a trial outing and she proved far superior to record the fourth win of her 12-start career.

Belle Of The Ball settled midfield on the fence before she was shuffled back, but when rider Opie Bosson got her into the clear she improved quickly near the turn and proved far too strong in the run home.

She was a $300,000 purchase for Te Akau’s David Ellis at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale and is the first live foal of the Duke Of Marmalade mare Lady Tatia, who also a yearling filly by Savabeel.

The mare is out of a sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Shogun Lodge, whose half-brothers Singing The Blues and Referral were the respective winners of the G1 Oakleigh Plate and George Ryder S.