News

Bella Nipotina's magic Manikato

22nd Oct 2022

Magnificent mare Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) scored a thoroughly deserving G1 victory in today’s Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley, sending her large group of owners into hysterics.

The 5YO had been so close on several occasions at the top level and despite already a three-time Stakes winner and three times G1 placed, an all-important G1 win had previously eluded her.

But that wrong was righted today when she proved too strong for a stellar field in the sprint feature of the Cox Plate Carnival.

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Bella Nipotina was purchased by Andrew Williams, Mount Hallowell Stud and Lindsay Park for $80,000 out of the Rosemont Stud draft at the 2019 Premier Yearling Sale.

She is part-owned by her breeder Michael Christian of Longwood Thoroughbred Farm.

Now a six-time winner – with 14 minor placings – Bella Nipotina (pictured) takes her career earnings to over $3.2m, a spectacular result for her large and boisterous legion of owners.

Bella Nipotina also becomes the 77th G1-winning Inglis graduate since 2018.

Connections had to wait an extra 24 hours for the win, with the Manikato initially scheduled for Friday night before being postponed to Saturday when a freak storm hit Mooney Valley on Friday night, forcing the race to be put back 24 hours.

“It’s amazing, it really is,’’ Christian said.

“We’ve strived for a while, we’ve bred some really good horses but never a Group 1 winner and now we’ve been able to breed this girl to go all the way to the top. I’m just absolutely thrilled.

“And the way she did it, she was so dominant, she’s just a freak.

“It’s been a long wait, a long night last night and a long day today to wait for the last race but it’s been just a fabulous experience.’’

Meanwhile today’s G3 Red Anchor Stakes winner Sejardan (Sebring) will likely back up in next Saturday’s G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington as trainer Gary Portelli tries to make a stallion out of the colt.

Now a four-time winner of just nine starts, Sejardan has always promised a big-race win and Portelli thinks the Coolmore could be just the one.

“We always thought he was the real deal, he’s a very good colt,’’ the trainer said.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be there in the Coolmore next Saturday if he pulls up alright. If he wins the Coolmore, it’ll be job done, but it will be a lot stronger race obviously.

“The way he hit the line today, when he puts his mind to it, when he spots horses in front of him he just lengthens stride and he picks them up.’’

Portelli purchased the Dale Miller-bred Sejardan from the Classic Yearling Sale for $160,000, where he was offered by Middlebrook Valley Lodge.

Sejardan led in an Inglis graduates quinella in the Red Anchor, defeating the Annabel Neasham-trained Sweet Ride.

And it was an Inglis graduates trifecta in the G3 Tesio Stakes for the mares as My Whisper (Frankel) defeated Roots and Sirileo Miss.

It was a fifth career win for the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained My Whisper, who had experienced little luck on her two starts this preparation heading into today’s run.

My Whisper is raced by Yulong, who bred the horse and offered her in their draft at the 2020 Easter Yearling Sale.