Belle Cheval claims Group One prize in thrilling finish
Kiwi-bred filly Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel) made a successful one-off raid across the Tasman on Saturday when she took out the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill by the barest of margins before surviving a protest from runner-up After Summer (The Autumn Sun) who claimed interference at the 200m mark had cost her the victory.
The blue riband contest was the sole entry on Belle Cheval’s dance card in Australia and after enjoying a lovely trip behind pacemaker Stand My Ground during the early running looked likely to stroll to a comfortable win when rider Zac Lloyd shot her to the front shortly after straightening.
Fellow Kiwi Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) momentarily looked a danger shortly as she loomed out wide for rider James McDonald, however it was local fillies After Summer and Salty Pearl (Tagaloa) who laid down the sternest challenge, with the pair joining issue with Belle Cheval to fight out the finish.
As the trio hit the 200m mark Belle Cheval ducked out sharply into the path of After Summer, who in turn headed out to meet Salty Pearl before resuming a straight course to the line.
Fighting bravely, Belle Cheval put her head down at exactly the right moment to deny After Summer by a nose with a short neck to Salty Pearl and a similar margin back to Ohope Wins in fourth.
The protest siren sounded shortly afterwards and following a lengthy steward’s inquiry the race was settled in Belle Cheval’s favour, much to the relief of trainer Mark Walker who had seen his charge beaten by the same margin at her last start in the NZ$4million NZB Kiwi (1500m).
“It was the NZB Kiwi photo all over again,” Walker said. She just ran around a bit, but it was great for the filly.
“It’s a very special day, although I actually thought we got beaten, whereas I’d thought we’d won the NZB Kiwi.
“I was glad to see the photo.”
Walker was also quick to mention super sire Savabeel (NZ) (Zabeel), with Belle Cheval becoming the 36th individual Group One winner for the Waikato stud-based legend.
“She is by Savabeel, he’s been the perennial champion sire at home (New Zealand) for a long, long time,” he said.
“We’re going to miss him severely, as he’s getting on in years.
“But she is just a magic filly. She can have a nice break now and we’ll look forward to the spring.
“There will be no Oaks for her, she gets a rest.”
The victory also continued a stunning run for Lloyd who has been on fire in the biggest races of late.
“To do it for Mark Walker (obtaining a Group One victory), a top New Zealand trainer, it’s very pleasing,” Lloyd said. “A big thanks to him for putting me on.
“My friend Wiremu Pinn, who lived with me for a bit when he was here, he let me know that she was coming over and I should try and get on her. So, thank you to Wiremu, I need to give him a bit of a managers fee for that.
“They still had to choose me and luckily and thankfully for myself they did.
“Obviously she was stepping up to 2000m but the race panned out beautifully, they didn’t go an overly strong gallop which I didn’t want for her.
“She quickened very well and I’m very surprised to see the horse I pushed out at the top of the straight (After Summer - 2nd) come back and nearly beat me because she quickened very well away from it.
“She showed a bit of fight, normally she’s known for her dazzling turn of foot whereas today she built and showed a bit of fight. She’s a good mare and it was a tenacious win by her.”
Bred by prominent racing identity David Archer, Belle Cheval is a half-sister to his former three-time Group One winner Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux), and he races the filly in partnership with his partner Diane Wright and children Simon Archer and Natalie Micarone.
Belle Cheval has now won four and placed in three of her seven starts to date and accrued more than AUS$1.212 million in prizemoney.
