Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker has marvelled at the New Zealand exploits of rising filly Ohope Wins this year, though he refuses to surrender this Saturday’s $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes without competition.
He’ll unleash Belle Cheval in the Rosehill Group 1 showdown over 2000 metres.
Sired by Savabeel, the filly advances beyond her 1500m placing behind Well Written in The Kiwi for her debut at the two-mile trip, and Walker rates Ohope Wins highly but welcomes the confrontation after her drop from the New Zealand Oaks distance.
“We know that horse really well from New Zealand and they are coming back from 2400 to 2000, I’d rather be probably going 1500 to 2000,” Walker said.
“But she has got very good New Zealand form, that’s for sure.
“You don’t know until you go to Australia how the New Zealand form is going to measure up, but Belle Cheval’s run in The NZB Kiwi was really good.
“She is at 2000 metres first time, but she’s by Savabeel and most of them get that sort of distance.
“You don’t know until you try but at least as a three-year-old she should be able to manage it.”
The Vinery Stud Stakes has drawn 15 entries, featuring Belle Cheval alongside Ohope Wins, who moved to Chris Waller after prevailing in the Oaks for Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott.
Rosehill hosts two Group 1s Saturday, with the $1.5m Tancred Stakes (2400m) boasting 16 runners like Dubai Honour, Aeliana, Sir Delius, Vauban and Group 1 import Barnavara.
Now on her seventh appearance, Belle Cheval was third in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last spring, took Group 3 spoils at 1200m and 1400m, and was denied in a thrilling bobble in The Kiwi.
This will cap Belle Cheval’s current preparation, yet more Australian action awaits her this campaign year.
“She just has the one run then goes down to our Melbourne stable for three or four days and then we’ll send out her out for a spell,” Walker, who has an Australian base at Cranbourne, said.
“She’ll spell down on the Mornington Peninsula and then we’ll have back for spring racing in Melbourne.”
Early spring Group 1 aims for Belle Cheval in Melbourne include the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and Toorak Handicap (1600m), according to Walker.
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