Latest news with #GrinzingerBelle
New Paper
23-06-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Belle Of the ball's last dance
BRISBANE Fresh from his Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap triumph, Tim Clark has set his sights on another Queensland feature. An opportunity to link with the fresh horse on the scene has convinced the leading Sydney jockey to pin his final Group 1 hopes of the season on Victorian-trained mare Grinzinger Belle in the $700,000 (S$580,000) Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara (1,400m) at Eagle Farm on June 28. Clark, who won his second Stradbroke Handicap (1,600m) two weeks ago aboard War Machine (first was Alligator Blood in 2022), has never ridden Grinzinger Belle in a race. But, having assessed her form, he is warming to the Shamexpress four-year-old having the right profile for the final major of the 2024-25 Australian racing term. "My manager was keen. He had a look at the potential make-up of the field and she is the fresh horse on the scene," said Clark. "The mares that have been racing up there have been taking turns a bit and there isn't a lot between them, so we looked outside the square a bit." A four-time winner at Group level in Victoria, Grinzinger Belle was given a freshen-up, after finishing midfield in Fangirl's Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1,600m) at Randwick on April 12. Before that, she had led throughout to comfortably claim the Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1,600m) at Moonee Valley on March 22, and she is a two-time winner over the 1,400m Tattersall's Tiara journey. She also has a good record fresh and Clark expects her on-pace racing style to be advantageous. "A few of the mares' races up there have lacked a bit of speed and she is one who is going to make her own luck," he said. "She likes to run along and break a field up. Hopefully we can end the season with another Group 1." Prepared by Danny O'Brien - who also trained her sire Shamexpress - Grinzinger Belle is a 10-1 chance in pre-nomination markets, with the Chris Waller-trained Firestorm a 5-2 favourite. While the Tattersall's Tiara will be the Australian season's last dance as the last Group 1 held, another horse, Headley Grange, is being aimed at the A$3 million Big Dance (1,600m) on Melbourne Cup day. The model of consistency made a successful transition to stakes company in the Listed Civic Stakes (1,400m) at Randwick on June 21 when ridden by Jason Collett, with an eighth win from 18 starts. The Exosphere four-year-old also boasts five seconds and two thirds, having now scored at his last two starts for trainer Joe Pride. He last won the Singapore Pools Handicap (1,300m), a Benchmark 94 race at Randwick on June 7. "Nice to see him step up to that higher grade today," said the Warwick Farm handler. "That's never easy to do in a high-pressure race with plenty of opposition. "He's come back particularly well this preparation and we will go to the South Grafton Cup next. We will try and qualify him for one of the 'Dances'." Pride was just a bit wary of the gelding's propensity to become agitated in the mounting enclosure pre-race. Trailing the strong tempo, Headley Grange ($11) peeled around the leaders in the straight. He dug deep to score by ½-length over the fast-finishingWelwal (Tommy Berry) and Astero (Andrew Adkins) another 3/4 length away in third. To combat that, the trainer was granted permission from stewards to have Collett legged up just before the field went to the track and the tactic paid dividends. "That's what was needed and it worked. He stayed relaxed," said Collett. The Sydney-based Kiwi hoop rode in red-hot form on that day, bagging a hat-trick of wins, with the two others coming aboard Callistemon and Lulumon. SKY RACING WORLD
The Australian
23-06-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
2025 Tatt's Tiara: Grinzinger Belle runs for new owner Yulong
Yulong could get a quick return on investment with Grinzinger Belle in the Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara on Saturday at Eagle Farm. Chinese billionaire Yuesheng Zhang, owner of breeding and racing giant Yulong, paid $1.45m for the bold frontrunning mare and multiple Group 2 winner last month at the Inglis Chairman's Sale. Grinzinger Belle, trained by Danny O'Brien, is an $11 chance in pre-nominations Tatt's Tiara markets. O'Brien's racing manager Jack Howard said Grinzinger Belle had progressed as planned to target the 1400m Eagle Farm feature with fresh legs – 10 weeks between runs. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Her fresh record is pretty good and that trip, hopefully we get a result for Yulong,' Howard said. 'She probably deserves a good race. 'We always had a plan to head up there with her, obviously John (Wheeler) sold her and Yulong purchased her and we were lucky enough to get her back to train, which we are grateful for. 'Hopefully we can get a result up there for (Yulong) and continue the relationship going forward.' • 'I just have to work harder': Williams zeros in on premiership Grinzinger Belle last raced on April 12 in Sydney, finished midfield in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m). The four-year-old travelled up to Queensland after a sharp Flemington jumpout late last month. 'They really went along, one of Gai's (Waterhouse) won the trial by about five or six, Zac Spain rode (the jump out) and hardly moved and she went through her gears, it was a good test,' Howard said. Sydney-based Group 1 jockey Tim Clark has been booked to ride Grinzinger Belle on Saturday. • Gilbert Gardiner's horses to follow and forgive from Flemington on Saturday Howard confirmed Brave Design would tackle the Listed Tattersall's Stakes (1400m). The two-year-old Brave Smash colt won the Listed Oxlade Stakes (1200m) last start at Eagle Farm. Brave Design, a well-travelled colt who raced in Melbourne and Adelaide before the Sunshine State raid, placed fourth in the Group 2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) two starts back. Jockey Jordan Childs will again head to Brisbane to pilot Brave Design. 'It's really good, Jordie went to Adelaide and rode him, he's ridden him twice up there and ridden him well,' Howard said. Gilbert Gardiner Sports reporter Gilbert Gardiner is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun. @gilbertgardiner Gilbert Gardiner
News.com.au
23-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Yulong chases quick return on Grinzinger Belle investment in Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara at Eagle Farm
Yulong could get a quick return on investment with Grinzinger Belle in the Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara on Saturday at Eagle Farm. Chinese billionaire Yuesheng Zhang, owner of breeding and racing giant Yulong, paid $1.45m for the bold frontrunning mare and multiple Group 2 winner last month at the Inglis Chairman's Sale. Grinzinger Belle, trained by Danny O'Brien, is an $11 chance in pre-nominations Tatt's Tiara markets. O'Brien's racing manager Jack Howard said Grinzinger Belle had progressed as planned to target the 1400m Eagle Farm feature with fresh legs – 10 weeks between runs. 'Her fresh record is pretty good and that trip, hopefully we get a result for Yulong,' Howard said. 'She probably deserves a good race. 'We always had a plan to head up there with her, obviously John (Wheeler) sold her and Yulong purchased her and we were lucky enough to get her back to train, which we are grateful for. 'Hopefully we can get a result up there for (Yulong) and continue the relationship going forward.' It's a Sunline Stakes route 🤩 Grinzinger Belle emulates the great Sunline, stringing her opposition out & running them off their feet over the Valley mile ðŸ'¥ @decbates @DOBrienRacing â€' (@Racing) March 22, 2025 • Grinzinger Belle last raced on April 12 in Sydney, finished midfield in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m). The four-year-old travelled up to Queensland after a sharp Flemington jumpout late last month. 'They really went along, one of Gai's (Waterhouse) won the trial by about five or six, Zac Spain rode (the jump out) and hardly moved and she went through her gears, it was a good test,' Howard said. Sydney-based Group 1 jockey Tim Clark has been booked to ride Grinzinger Belle on Saturday. Grinzinger Belle is off & gone with the cash in the Let's Elope Stakes ðŸ'¥ @LaneDamian @DOBrienRacing â€' (@Racing) September 14, 2024 Howard confirmed Brave Design would tackle the Listed Tattersall's Stakes (1400m). The two-year-old Brave Smash colt won the Listed Oxlade Stakes (1200m) last start at Eagle Farm. Brave Design, a well-travelled colt who raced in Melbourne and Adelaide before the Sunshine State raid, placed fourth in the Group 2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) two starts back. Jockey Jordan Childs will again head to Brisbane to pilot Brave Design. 'It's really good, Jordie went to Adelaide and rode him, he's ridden him twice up there and ridden him well,' Howard said.
