Grinzinger Belle dominant in the Let’s Elope Stakes
Trainer Danny O’Brien is eyeing a Group 1 race during the Melbourne Cup Carnival with impressive Flemington winner Grinzinger Belle.
Having her first start since competing in early winter at Caulfield, Grinzinger Belle registered an easy win in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.
The Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day, a race restricted to fillies and mares, is likely to be Grinzinger Belle’s ultimate goal for the campaign.
Taken to the front by Damian Lane, Grinzinger Belle ($21) scored by four lengths from See You In Heaven ($6) with $5 favourite Alsephina a half-neck away third.
Grinzinger Belle has an affinity with the 1400m journey at Flemington having won the Group 3 The Vanity when resuming in February.
“She won The Vanity in the autumn first-up and we thought she was in similar order today, but tackling a deeper field,” O’Brien said.
“There were some very classy mares in that race today. She always travelled well in the run, but I didn’t think she’d open up and win like that.
“We’re really pleased that she’s come back as well as she did.
“She’s a good Kiwi-bred who is by Shamexpress, who we trained, and is close to our hearts and she seemed to really appreciate those conditions.”
O’Brien said Grinzinger Belle could head to Moonee Valley on Grand Final Eve for the Stocks Stakes (1600m) or return to Flemington for the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1600m) on October 5.
“She really cuts out at the mile, but I think we’d aim to be here on Derby Day for the mares’ Group 1,” O’Brien said.
As the field paraded for Saturday’s race and made their way around to the start, a shower of hail descended on Flemington.
Lane said the appalling weather did not seem to affect Grinzinger Belle.
“It seems as though she’s been in the paddock with plenty of weather because she wanted to face towards it, so I had to explain to her that you’re better off facing your bum to the hail,” Lane said.
“Once she figured that out, she handled it quite well.
“She huddled up with a couple of others and it obviously didn’t affect her performance.”
More Racing News
Thrilling Scone Cup success for in-form Hellsing
Trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, Hellsing has entered excellent shape and notched his finest victory yet in the Listed $200,000 Arrowfield Scone Cup (1600m) held at Scone on Friday.On his 10th run in a preparation exceeding six months, Hellsing is thriving more than ever, building on a Royal Randwick...
Trainer Moloney sees ongoing enhancement in Hearcomesthestar
Improvement has marked every preparation, and John Moloney, the trainer, expects additional development from Hearcomesthestar in her upcoming appearance at Flemington.From 28 races, Hearcomesthestar has notched six wins and eight places, but Stakes grade has proven challenging for her.The approaching six-year-old earned a Listed placing at Geelong earlier this year,...
Searle family from SA chasing Melbourne Cup dream with Sir Kingsford
Gary and Nichole Searle, together with their daughter Brianna Callanan, form a South Australian training outfit with ambitions for Sir Kingsford in the Melbourne Cup.A victory in Saturday's Listed Andrew Ramsden (3200m) at Flemington earns the winner a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption ahead of the big November event.Nichole Searle sampled...
Scone's Luskin Star Stakes sees Estadio Mestalla with tough weight
Trainer Joe Pride questions the two-kilo advantage given to a Group 1 winner over Estadio Mestalla in the Luskin Star Stakes, but trusts the steady gelding to deliver full commitment.At seven years old, he notched his top triumph in the prior year's Listed Winter Stakes (1100m) and must shoulder 61kg...
Barrier 18 no hindrance to Sequista's Scone return
Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou believe filly Sequista has the class for black-type success despite her tendency to undermine herself.Having notched stakes placings in the 2024 Inglis Nursery (1000m) and run near the placings in Tempted's Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m), the three-year-old targets another milestone in Saturday's Listed Denise's...
Flemington awaits Concord Connie's next bold move
Trainer Charlotte Littlefield hopes her talented filly Concord Connie can replicate her recent feat before entertaining grander aspirations.In her third race appearance at Flemington on Anzac Day, Concord Connie notched a breathtaking win by six lengths in sharp time.This Saturday, the filly heads back to Flemington to compete against the...
Dark Jewel Classic in sights for Harlem Queen
While Harlem Queen didn't sustain her early promise from age three, trainer Nathan Doyle feels confident after her trouble-free lead-up that she might restore reliable results.She returns Saturday in the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) held at Scone, where despite preferring stamina tests ahead, barrier five positions her well for Doyle's...
Flemington run to decide Different Gravy's Queensland Derby chances
At Flemington, Different Gravy will put his Queensland Derby dreams to the test in upcoming action.Following a Listed triumph over 1800m at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day last year, trainer Henry Dwyer fixed his focus on the northern Derby.The Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm scheduled for May...
Abounding's scratch lets Napoleonic into Doomben 10,000 lineup
Confirmation has arrived that Napoleonic will join the Doomben 10,000 field, following Abounding's removal which opened the door for the colt in the elite Group 1 dash.Team members experienced a stressful seven days after the three-year-old earned second emergency status for the $1.5 million event, as reserve Beadman claimed a...
Snowden's stable loaded with top sprinters for feature clashes
Boasting a stable full of high-caliber sprinters primed for black-type action, trainer Peter Snowden enjoys the luxury of picking and choosing among several prestigious races.Just a couple of weeks earlier, Zealously claimed victory in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush (1100m), followed by King Of Roseau and Beadman grabbing interstate stakes wins...