Bella Nipotina has reaffirmed her credentials for an Everest slot, capping an outstanding winter carnival with victory in the Tattersall’s Tiara.
A campaign that began in Melbourne in February and encompassed trips to Sydney, Perth and Brisbane has had a fitting finale with incredible mare Bella Nipotina outclassing her rivals to claim the final Group 1 race of the season.
Despite a busy schedule, Bella Nipotina has thrived in Queensland, winning the Doomben 10,000 three starts ago and finishing second in the Kingsford-Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap before capturing Saturday’s Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m).
Trainer Ciaron Maher was left in awe of the six-year-old’s appetite for racing after she notched her ninth win from 52 starts at a time when most mares are being readied for broodmare duties.
“To do what she has done, I thought we’d come up here for one run and maybe have a crack at 14 (1400 metres) in the Tiara,” Maher said.
“To run in all four 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.”
With regular rider Craig Williams in the Ukraine on a humanitarian mission, Ryan Maloney picked up the plum mount on Bella Nipotina, who tracked a wide course throughout from her awkward draw.
It was Maloney’s second Group 1 win of the carnival after he combined with Maher to snare the Queensland Oaks on $101 outsider Socks Nation.
Maloney said Bella Nipotina was a dream to ride and while he had hoped to find a trail three-wide with cover, she was too strong regardless.
“In the end it really didn’t matter, she just toyed with them,” Maloney said.
“She got into a nice enough rhythm and good horses do what they do, they just know how to win.
“It certainly makes your job a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable.”
Maher said Bella Nipotina would be given a break before preparing for the spring and confirmed connections were keen to secure an Everest slot.
“Definitely. She was an emergency last year, she is probably going better this year,” Maher said.
“We will work back from The Everest, she probably has a run beforehand, and she will go back out now and freshen up.”
Maher produced the Tatt’s Tiara quinella with Semana ($10) finishing a length second to Bella Nipotina ($2 betting fav) with leader Bubble Rock ($18) holding on for third.
Semana has now placed in Group 1 races at three of her past four starts, her rider Dylan Gibbons saying he stalked the winner throughout but couldn’t match her finishing sprint.
“I followed her everywhere and she just dropped me, but my girl’s all heart and she’ll get a well-deserved Group One soon,” Gibbons said.
