The winning run of Arrowfield Stud graduates continued at Flemington on Oaks Day and while the $350,000 VRC Inglis Bracelet (1600m) does not carry Black Type, the winner of this year’s race Bella Verona certainly has the talent to suggest a stakes win in the future may be a formality.
Trained by Matt Laurie and ridden by Patrick Moloney, Bella Verona was sent off at 9-1 taking on some quality mares including G1 Queensland Oaks winner Fireball Miss and Group winner Sass Appeal, who was a well backed favourite.
Sass Appeal led for home, but could not hold off the late surge from Bella Verona, who sported blinkers for the first time and won by nearly two and half lengths with Fireball Miss in third place.
A lightly raced four year-old daughter of Castelvecchio, Bella Verona has the tidy record of four wins and three placings from seven starts with earnings topping $300,000.
Bella by name, brilliant by nature ? BELLA VERONA upstages the favourite to claim the Inglis Bracelet for Patrick Moloney and Matt Laurie. @inglis_sales | #OaksDay https://t.co/maw1ZlLMTo
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 5, 2026
“We were very happy with the horse. We've always had a big opinion of her. Just sort of felt like all her runs this prep had been really great and felt staying to the mile, maybe the blinkers might be a good addition and clearly it really helped her travel,” said Matt Laurie.
“She didn't have that sort of flat spot that she did last start and she was very strong late, lovely mare.”
Laurie revealed Bella Verona has had to overcome serious illness which was responsible to her late start to racing.
“She's had a hard run, too. She suffered a bout of colic and only came back in the second half of her three-year-old year, but has been able to kick on. She's got Black-Type written all over her,” he said.
Bred by Arrowfield in partnership, Bella Verona was a $90,000 Inglis Classic purchase from Arrowfield for her trainer and is the first foal of well related Snitzel mare Simply Wonderful, a half-sister to Group winners Sinarahma and House of Cartier from four time Group I winner Shez Sinsational.
Arrowfield sold a Dundeel colt from Simply Wonderful at Magic Millions this year for $360,000 to O'Shea Charlton Racing/James Bester Bloodstock and there is a yearling colt by Hitotsu to follow.
