Brilliant Bellazaine bursts onto the Slipper scene
Bellazaine (Zousain) more than made up for the disappointment of missing out on a run in the $2 million Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) when she scored a tough win in the Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m) on Saturday.
Bellazaine had been the first emergency for the feature race at Randwick, but when all 16 acceptors stood their ground her co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott pivoted to the Lonhro Plate and the shrewd decision paid off in spades with a first stakes win for the daughter of Widden Stud’s .
A $160,000 purchase at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Waterhouse and Bott in partnership with Bruce Slade of Kestrel Thoroughbreds, Bellazaine became the stable’s second filly to win the Lonhro Plate following the 2021 triumph of Tilianam (Savabeel).
That mare was subsequently purchased by Yulong for $900,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, and Bellazaine is now also a valuable future broodmare commodity after she held off the persistent challenge of Godolphin colt Beiwacht (Bivouac), who was striving to emulate his sire and etch his name onto the Lonhro Plate honour roll.
The pair fought out a thrilling finish with Regan Bayliss lifting Bellazaine over the line to take the filly’s earnings to $135,500 from just two starts, and see her Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) odds trimmed to $19 from an opening quote of $101. Race favourite The Extractor (Spirit Of Boom) rounded out the top three for trainer Michael Freedman and jockey James McDonald.
“I think that’s certainly some consolation for the owners there, some important black type and residual value for her, and importantly some prize-money to count towards the Golden Slipper,” said Bott.
“She was first emergency in the big race with the women’s only bonus her owners were chasing, but I’m sure they’ll still be very satisfied with a big win today.”
Bayliss is currently enjoying a rich vein of juvenile success in partnership with the Waterhouse and Bott operation, having piloted Bellazaine’s stablemate The Playwright (Written By) to victory in last Saturday’s Widden Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m).
He believes Bellazaine still has plenty of natural improvement to come.
“She came through the Gimcrack in the spring, and that form has really stood up,” said Bayliss.
“She is a big, long, rangy and scopey filly that’s only going to get better once she gets over a little bit further. The Godolphin colt [Beiwacht] had a run under his belt and he really challenged her, but she was tough right through the line.
“She is still a little bit gawky and was having a look around at things. Tim [Clark] has done most of the work on her, I grew in confidence after hearing what he had to say about her and she didn’t disappoint today.”
Bellazaine’s victory proved a particularly profitable result for Widden Stud, who stand her sire Zousain.
Widden purchased Bellazaine’s dam Benella for a mere $12,500 at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, and her filly by Supido (Sebring) – who stands alongside Zousain at Widden – is likely to attract plenty of interest when she goes through the ring at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale on Sunday. She is catalogued as Lot 63. After withdrawals, Zousain himself has 19 lots set to go through the ring at the Classic sale.
Second season sire Zousain is enjoying an excellent campaign, with his speedy filly Amelita winning the Red Rose Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) for Chris Waller on VRC Oaks Day at Flemington in the spring.
That came shortly after another Zousain filly, Team Snowden’s Drifting, had registered her sire’s first stakes success of the 2024-25 campaign in the Quezette Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Caulfield, beating home Geegees Mistruth (Wordsmith) who franked the form when she romped to victory in the Mystic Journey Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Hobart on Friday night.
Bellazaine will now be set on a path towards the Golden Slipper, a race Waterhouse has won on no fewer than eight occasions.
“She’s certainly up to it,” said Bott.
“She’s a lovely big, strong filly, and she’s had the advantage of having a preparation. Things didn’t necessarily go to plan for her in the Gimcrack, she was always one of our leading fillies going into that race, and just the wide draw affected her on the day. But no excuses today, she has come back a stronger and more seasoned filly so she can certainly put her hand up.
“She’ll go to one of those fillies’ lead-up races, potentially a race like the Sweet Embrace, and see if we can get her fully qualified for the Slipper.”
Bellazaine is out of Benella (Not A Single Doubt), who is incidentally a three-quarter-sister to Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt), the dam of Saturday’s Blue Diamond Prelude (F) runner-up, My Gladiola (I Am Invincible).