Kind Words survives protest scare to win the 2025 Belle Of The Turf Stakes

Kind Words is turning promise into performance this summer, adding a Group 3 victory to her record with a determined win in the Belle Of The Turf Stakes at Gosford.

From a wide draw in barrier ten, jockey Tom Sherry elected to be positive early on the five-year-old before allowing her to settle as the pace steadied.

Racing three-wide throughout, Kind Words ($#) produced a sustained run on straightening and held off the late challenge of Hyperbolic ($#) by a head, with Chica Mojito ($#) close behind in third, three-quarters of a length away.

The move back to the mile proved no concern, with the mare showing the same resilience she has displayed throughout the preparation.

“It was a tough win,” Kris Lees’ stable representative Cameron Swan said.

“Everything worked out as we chanced our arm early and got into a nice spot. She finished it off well.

“Though she was in a nice positive, she lacks that real turn-of-foot over a mile.

“She probably should have won a Queensland Oaks where she had a really torrid run and she went really good so it is good for her to get this group three win. This preparation she has really shown what she’s made of.”

The Gosford triumph followed a standout Rosehill victory earlier in the month, where Kind Words returned a career-high Racing and Sports rating of 102 over 2000 metres.

Her career now stands at four wins and eight placings from 27 starts.

Lees recorded his second Belle Of The Turf Stakes success, while Sherry continued his excellent recent record in the race with a third win across the past five runnings.

The stable’s strong Christmas run also continued, operating at a 32 per cent strike rate from its most recent 25 runners.

Future betting options involving Kind Words are available via the Australian betting sites list.