Aurora Belle continues to shine at Te Rapa

A bright future is being tipped for promising filly Aurora Belle (NZ) (Belardo) after she kept her unbeaten record intact when taking out the Jack & June Stewart Memorial (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The three-year-old daughter of Belardo had shown plenty of promise at the trials, winning one and placing in two of her three outings before she brought that form to raceday where she was impressive when winning on debut at Te Rapa in May.

Trainers Conor and Sarah Fahy returned to the Hamilton venue with their filly on Saturday where she was met by Group Two winner Swiss Prince (NZ) (El Roca), but the money came for Aurora Belle and she jumped a $3 favourite ahead of the Stephen Marsh-trained runner.

Aurora Belle was only fair away from her inside gate but jockey Michael McNab stoked up his charge to regain their deficit and make her competitors work to get to the lead.

Armagh did just that and soon found the top, while Swiss Prince sat on his outside, with Aurora Belle enjoying an economical passage in the trail.

Armagh (NZ) (Brazen Beau) entered the home straight with a length advantage, but Swiss Prince took chase and quickly found the front, while McNab guided Aurora Belle off the fence to find clear air. Once she balanced up, Aurora Belle started to eat into Swiss Prince’s lead, collaring him with 100m to go and extended her advantage to run out a one length victory, with a further head back to Ocean Opal (Snitzel) in third.

McNab was impressed with Aurora Belle’s performance but said she has plenty of improvement to come, and he believes she can make her way through the grades.

“It looked like they would come across but I was half slow away so I couldn’t make them work as much as I wanted and they ended up getting it quite cheap through the middle, but her ability and her turn of foot got her out of that,” McNab said.

“Her maiden here was really good, she stepped up to a lot better quality today and she did what I thought she had the ability to do,” McNab said.

“She did a little bit wrong too, she was a little bit fresh but she is a horse with a good bit of upside.

“She will get to open company I think.”

Conor Fahy was rapt with the win and said Aurora Belle may return to Te Rapa before season’s end before heading for a freshen-up with late spring targets in mind.

“I am dancing inside, there was a bit of pressure on and it is great that she got the job done,” Fahy said.

“She was a bit slow away, which is unlike her, but once he (McNab) got her around the bottom bend you could see he was happy and he had everyone covered, it was a top ride again from the man onboard.

“It’s unbelievable, I was just worried about her just going down to the start today, she is just a bit bullish and when she gets that out of her system there is more improvement again in her. I think she could be a really good filly.

“We will have to have a good look at the programme now. We might return here in three weeks if she pulls up okay, but we will try and get a spell in somewhere to have her ready to go for spring again, we will be aiming pretty high.”