The late, great Coolmore stallion High Chaparral (IRE) may have celebrated more prestigious wins in his glittering career but Saturday was a real financial windfall for the son of Sadler’s Wells.
After the Tony Gollan-trained A Man To Match pocketed the $140,000 winner’s cheque and $200,000 bonus for winning the first running of the $250,000 The Wave at the Gold Coast, the 6yo mare Mississippi Delta, a Bob Peters homebred, earned a career highlight win in the $400,000 Group II Tabtouch-Perth Cup (2400m) at Ascot.
Given a patient ride by Willie Pike, Mississippi Delta saw the rumps of all 12 opponents turning for home. Once eased out to the centre of the track the Grant and Alana Williams-trained mare picked them off one by one to run out a length winner over Missile Launch (Smart Missile) with Taxagano (Rogano) a long-head back in third.
I’d be lying if I wasn’t a bit worried when I’d seen how far they skipped (away),” Pike told The West Australian.
“I’d made that exact same run a few times today and couldn’t catch them and I thought ‘here we go again’.
“She’s got a heart of gold, this horse. Give her a run that she likes and you know she’ll have a kick.”
It was a ninth Perth Cup for Bob Peters.
“I was actually watching the other two (Star Exhibit and Royal Command) because she was so far back,” Peters said.
“Then halfway down the straight I said to my grandson ‘look at this one down the outside’ and it was her.
“We lost her half-sister (the 2014 Group 1 Railway Stakes heroine Elite Belle) and kept this one to breed from. She’s done a good job for us.”
Mississippi Delta advances her record to 10 wins and 6 seconds from 19 starts with earnings of $707,565.
Also, a half-sister to the dual Listed winner Battle Emblem (Second Empire), Mississippi Delta is one of three stakes-winners for the Marooned mare Mississippi Belle.
All seven of Mississippi Belle's progeny to make the track are winners.
Mogumber Park purchased Mississippi Belle through Belmont Bloodstock Agency for $72,000 at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale.
She has a 2yo colt by Safeguard named Saving Memphis that has been purchased by Paul Jordon for $150,000 at the 2019 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
She had a yearling colt by WA Guineas winner Rommel (Commands). After not being covered in 2018, Mississippi Belle visited Safeguard last spring.
