Written by Paul Vettise
Bargain online buy Bella Vella (Commands) added to her earnings with further stakes success at The Valley and the mare will now be given the chance to double her tally at the top level.
The Will Clarken-trained mare resumed in perfect style when she won Saturday’s G2 Mitty’s McEwen S., her fourth success on the track and it’s full steam ahead for a return in the G1 Moir S.
Previous owner Sir Owen Glenn retired the mare, but she failed to get in foal and was offered for sale via the Inglis Digital platform last April. Clarken, fellow trainer David Jolly and friends banded together and secured her for $22,500.
Their highlight came earlier this year when Bella Vella won the G1 Goodwood H. at Morphettville in May and she returned in style on Saturday in a manner that suggests she can keep building on her record.
Her performance continued an outstanding run for South Australian horses with Jolly’s Behemoth (All Too Hard) winning the G1 Memsie S. last weekend and Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}) adding the G3 Concorde S., at Randwick to his record.
“Isn’t it just terrific that we’ve got three genuine Group 1 horses trained in South Australia going into the spring. It’s really going to give the state some interest,” Clarken said.
“Isn’t it just terrific that we’ve got three genuine Group 1 horses trained in South Australia going into the spring.” – Will Clarken
He confirmed the Moir would be a primary target for the 6-year-old.
“She’s becoming more and more relaxed and there’s still more improvement to come from her,” Clarken said.
Bella Vella was ridden by Jamie Kah, who had the mare close to the pace and one off the fence and they finished relentlessly to get the better of Ashlor (Hard Spun {USA}). Brooklyn Hustle (Starspangledbanner) and Hanseatic (Street Boss {USA}) both came on well to be the next pair home.
“She was first-up and still has a bit of condition on her, but she’s so tough. She had probably had enough 100 metres out, but she was always going to win in my mind,” Kah said.
“We got into a nice spot early and then got caught three wide in the end. She stuck it right out to the end and will get better.
“Will and the team have done such a great job with her and unfortunately I couldn’t go over and ride her in Adelaide in the Goodwood because of COVID-19. No one can get me off her now.
“Will has got the best out of her and for an older mare she just seems to be getting better.”
