Manikato Stakes (Group 1)

A DRAMATIC electrical storm and savage rain over Moonee Valley forced the abandonment of Friday night’s meeting after five races, with the feature Group 1 Manikato Stakes hurriedly rescheduled to be the final race of Saturday’s Cox Plate Day card.

Often on the wrong side of luck but with an exceptional record at Moonee Valley, a win and five seconds from seven starts preceding the Manikato Stakes, Bella Nipotina with Craig Williams up cut the corner on the final bend and strode away to a five-length win, decimating her nine rivals over the 1,200 metres.

“She got a great ride and it felt like it was hers today,” said co-trainer David Eustace. “Craig rode her very well and he had a lot of confidence in her. She’s been bridesmaid along the way but fittingly she won it here. She always runs well and she’s a very valuable mare, who is getting better with age.”

An A$80,000 yearling at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling sale, Bella Nipotina is the first Group 1 winner for Coolmore’s Pride Of Dubai, as well as for Star Witness as a broodmare sire.

Left in her wake was the Rothesay gelding Rothfire and the Coolmore-owned Snitzel colt Best Of Bordeaux.

Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (Group 1)

“I’M going to run him in the (Victoria) Derby next Saturday, he will go a mile and a half, don’t worry, and he will win the Derby,” declared New Zealand trainer Graeme Rogerson of Sharp ’n’ Smart who he trains in partnership with his wife Debbie.

“I haven’t had a horse like this for a long time. I’ve trained a lot of good horses but boy this horse has such a big heart.”

Lining up in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes over Randwick’s 2,000 metres, the Redwood gelding affirmed his Group 3 Gloaming Stakes win two weeks earlier. “I was on a horse that has a great will to win,” said Hugh Bowman.

“I know him well, he’s come a long way in the last six months and he’s going to continue to improve as a galloper, he’s very exciting.

“My first ride at Randwick was in these colours many moons ago so it means a lot to win for Graeme and Debbie.”

Bowman now sits on 99 Group 1 wins but will forego the ride on the favourite Sharp ’n’ Smart in the Victoria Derby, in favour of rides at Rosehill in the A$10 million Golden Eagle and $3 million Nature Strip Stakes.

A NZ$55,000 Karaka Book 2 yearling, Sharp ’n’ Smart was passed-in at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run sale on a reserve of $90,000.

The breeze-up footage for this year’s Ready to Run is now available with the sale scheduled for the November 16th and 17th at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka complex.