In-form mare Prima Bella added valuable black-type to her record with a determined victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Toy Show Quality (1100m) at Randwick.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy allowed the New Zealand-bred daughter of Per Incanto to stride forward and settle outside leader Gatwick, where she travelled comfortably into the home straight.
Prima Bella found plenty under pressure, edging out Stardom by a long head in a winning time of 1:02.94. Race favourite Apocalyptic finished another three-quarters of a length away in third.
Prepared by Matthew Smith, Prima Bella was well placed under the quality handicap conditions with 53kg. Saturday’s triumph was her fourth win from six starts during an outstanding preparation.
“Super ride,” Smith said. “Kerrin took the initiative and took luck out of it.
“She’s a fit horse. That was the way to ride her and just hope they don’t run past you late. That was the way to do it.”
Smith admitted the step up to 1100m presented a question mark, but Prima Bella’s strength through the line in her previous 1000m appearance encouraged connections to give her the opportunity.
“I wasn’t sure, but she was very strong here the other day over 1000m, so we thought we’ve just got to give it a shot and see how we go,” he said.
“Once he got an easy couple of furlongs early, I thought we’d be a chance to run it out.”
The Group Three success rewarded the patience shown by the mare’s connections, having previously spent a year away from racing.
“There you go,” Smith said. “They’ve been very patient, the owners. She had a year off at one stage, so they’ve been rewarded. It has been fantastic.”
McEvoy approached the race without making any special concessions for the extra distance and allowed Prima Bella to settle into her natural rhythm.
“When I asked Matt, he said, ‘Look, we’re going to find out about the trip,’ so I didn’t ride her any differently,” McEvoy said.
“Matt said to go out there with a plan to try to have her in a normal position, and she got into a nice rhythm.
“I thought we had it nice and cosy. The horse on the outside came in quite quickly as we entered the straight and got half a head or a head up.
“I was yet to ask her for a full effort, and when I did, she gave a bit more. She’s a deserving winner because Matt’s had her in great form, and she’s holding her form too.”
Bred by Little Avondale Stud, Prima Bella is the 38th stakes-winner for the operation’s outstanding stallion Per Incanto and is out of Brah Spring, a Darci Brahma mare who won seven races.
Her pedigree also features Australian Group One performers Evaporate and Belluci Babe, both by Per Incanto.
Prima Bella races in the colours of a syndicate headed by Francis and Christine Cook. She was purchased for A$320,000 at the Sydney Classic Yearling Sale and has now won eight of her 15 starts, earning A$480,825 in prize money.
Her newly acquired Group Three-winning status has also significantly enhanced her future value as a broodmare. – NZ Racing Desk
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