Yesterday's brilliant Group One New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes winner Belclare will turn heads when she is offered at the upcoming 2024 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast.
The outstanding daughter of Per Incanto made it back to back wins in the 1600 metre time honoured feature at Ellerslie, this time defeating Town Cryer by one and a half lengths.
A stable star for premiership winning horsewoman Lisa Latta, Belclare will go under the hammer as an exciting racing and breeding prospect as part of the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft on Day One of the National Broodmare Sale in late May.
"It's been a really nerve-racking day, considering it’s likely to be her last race for us," an emotional Lisa Latta said. "I'm proud of her."
"I didn't think there'd be a whole lot of speed today, and I thought Town Cryer would be it. She got into a good spot on the outside of that runner, and the rest is history."
"It was good for her to have the experience from coming up here and winning the Westbury Classic earlier in the season, and she obviously goes really well right-handed."
"The owners have been so loyal, and to go out on a winning note in this race, it couldn’t be better," Latta added.
An 11 time winner and earner of over NZ$980,000, Belclare was bred by her part owner David Woodhouse.
"It certainly was a great win," Woodhouse said of yesterday's big race victory. "The biggest thrill of my career, absolutely."
"And Lisa and the stable just love her. She's her first double Group One winner. The mare always tried so hard!"
Woodhouse said the mare was incredibly effective across her career on top of the ground where her acceleration could be used to beat her rivals.
"We would have scratched her from her previous run in the Group One Otaki Classic if it was rated as wet as it turned out to be," he noted. "Her start before in the Westbury Classic on the strathayr at Ellerslie was excellent."
"And back on top of the ground on Saturday she was able to again produce that powerful sprint and win so well."
Woodhouse said there was much planning into the mating that produced his multiple Group One winner.
"Sam Williams told me way back with Per Incanto that the O’Reilly mare cross was working well."
"So I got (leading Bloodstock Agent) Bruce Perry to find me an O'Reilly mare and he came up with Miss Rhythmic and I liked that she went back to (Group One winner) Olga's Pal."
"We bought her and at the time Tavistock was firing and we didn't have any luck with her first foals and the first season she was sent to Per Incanto, Belclare was the result."
Woodhouse said Belclare would make the most beautiful broodmare.
"She's not a huge mare - she's a great stye of horse - strong, muscly – a typical Per Incanto, they are nicely made horses."
"Belclare is a beautifully natured horse and she will look good come sale time on the Gold Coast."
Woodhouse said it would be an emotional time for himself and the fellow of connections come May.
"It will most certainly be an emotional time. We will be on the Gold Coast and my wife said she will cry her eyes out! We have never had a horse like her - sure we've had some nice horses, but she's another level."
"We still have her mother, a full sister at home and also a half sister in foal to Noverre. I hope she can carry her racing form to the breeding barn."
Entries are now closing for the National Sale and the world class catalogues will be released over the coming weeks.
"Belclare is a welcome addition to what will be a remarkable catalogue," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "We will have a catalogue packed with stakes winning stars and we look forward to presenting them to an international audience."
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