Wrote To Arataki claims a second Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes

Matthew Williams’ decision to reset Wrote To Arataki after a challenging spring was rewarded when the mare delivered a first-up Stakes success at Caulfield.

The Warrnambool trainer celebrated as Wrote To Arataki secured her second Group 3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m), adding another highlight to her consistent career.

It was the mare’s fourth run in the race, having previously claimed the title in 2023 and filled minor placings in subsequent editions.

After finishing fourth in 2024 and opening last autumn with a third-place effort, Wrote To Arataki returned in peak condition.

Ridden positively by Dean Yendall, the mare controlled the race from the front and proved too strong, scoring by a length over Damask Rose with Bossy Benita finishing third.

Williams said the seven-time winner has always been sound, despite health setbacks interrupting her campaign last year.

“We’ve never had a soundness issue with her,” Williams said.

“She had a couple of little viruses there in the spring and we just couldn’t get her back right, so we had to pull up stumps.

“The owners have been very patient and were happy to do that and we just set her for this race.

“It’s a good way to start her program and she’s not a good traveller, so we don’t look to go anywhere interstate with her.

“Mares are very well catered for in Victoria if you can follow that program and she loves 1400 and 1600-metre races, so it works well and they’re on our backdoor.”

The trainer said a lingering cough made it impractical to push on late last spring.

“We could have had a crack late in the spring and we felt for one race it wasn’t worth it, so we opted to pull up stumps and give her a bit more time in the paddock,” Williams said.

“It’s such a tight turnaround to get them back. She came back fresh and we were able to get a nice building preparation into her.

“Her jump-outs were good and the team have done a great job.”

The Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m) and Group 3 Matron Stakes (1600m) loom as next goals, with odds and form available via leading online bookmakers.

The post Wrote To Arataki claims a second Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes first appeared on Just Horse Racing.