Bella Nipotina capped off another stellar campaign with a hugely impressive success in the Tiara (G1) at Eagle Farm June 29, the final group 1 of the Australian racing season.
Having run fourth behind fellow star sprinter Imperatriz in the Feb. 4 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (G1) at Flemington, the 6-year-old was making her ninth outing of this preparation but looked like a mare making her first start as she blitzed her 16 rivals to record a third elite-level success.
A deserved winner of the Doomben Ten Thousand (G1), Bella Nipotina had since run a pair of seconds in both the Kingsford Smith Cup (G1) and Stradbroke Handicap (G1).
That form looked strong in the context of Saturday's race and it seems punters took that view, with the daughter of Pride Of Dubai sent off the $2 favorite to double her group 1 tally for the season.
Ridden for the first time by Ryan Maloney, with regular rider Craig Williams absent due to his latest humanitarian effort in war-ridden Ukraine, the Ciaron Maher-trained mare jumped well from barrier 15 and sat fourth, just behind the speed, for the opening 1000 meters.
Turning for home, Bella Nipotina loomed up traveling strongly under Maloney and, after being asked to chase down long-time leader Bubble Rock entering the final 300 meters, quickened to the lead inside the final 200 meters before being merely pushed out by her rider to beat Semana by a comfortable 1.1 lengths, providing a quinella for the Maher stable.
The Tony Gollan-trained Bubble Rock, a two-time American graded stakes winner who had taken up the lead after the first 200 meters of the contest, bravely held on for third, beaten 1.4 lengths by the dominant winner.
What a wonderful mare! ❤️
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 29, 2024
Bella Nipotina is FAR too good winning the 2024 G1 Tattersall's Tiara at Eagle Farm. @cmaherracing @RMaloney_Jockey pic.twitter.com/tmdMzYvI6k
"To do what she has done, I thought we'd come up here for one run and maybe have a crack at 14 (1,400 meters) in the Tiara," the winning trainer said.
"To run in all four (group 1s) and be as good in the last as she was in the first, phenomenal. And that's on the back of going to Perth, running in the autumn in Sydney."
Maher revealed the mare will now head for a well-earned break before being targeted at the AU$20 million The Everest at Randwick Oct. 19.
"We will work back from The Everest, she probably has a run beforehand, and she will go back out now and freshen up."
Saturday's result took Bella Nipotina's record to nine wins and a further 23 placings from 52 starts, with AU$10,976,625 earned.
Bred by Michael Christian and partners at Longwood Thoroughbred Farm, who retain a share in her ownership, Bella Nipotina was purchased for $80,000 by Lindsay Park Racing, Andrew Williams Bloodstock, and Mt Hallowell Stud from the Rosemont Stud draft at Book 1 of the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
A half sister to three-time winner Bella Sorellina, she is the best of two winners to come out of the Star Witness mare Bella Orfana, herself a half-sister to group scorers Hallowell Belle and Fuddle Dee Duddle being from the family of Caulfield Guineas (G1) winner In Top Swing.
Bella Orfana died earlier this year, with her final foal a weanling filly by Trapeze Artist.
Meanwhile, Coolmore Stud stallion Pride Of Dubai currently sits third on the Australian General Sires table behind only I Am Invincible and Zoustar, having also enjoyed group 1 success with runaway Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr1) winner Pride Of Jenni and Captain Cook Stakes (G1) scorer Desert Lightning this season.
