Can Bella Nipotina overtake Winx and become Australia’s top earner?
The Everest winner barely broke a sweat to win the Russell Balding Stakes at Rosehill and take her overall earnings to $22,236,625.
Bella Nipotina runs away with the Russell Balding Stakes at Rosehill.Credit: Getty Images
Mighty mare Winx sits on top with a whopping $26,451,1785, a monster total that never looked like getting mowed down – until now.
Bella Nipotina is seven years of age but in career-best form, with her win at Rosehill on Saturday coming on the back of The Everest triumph.
The result was all but sealed for Bella Nipotina when she slotted into third watching I Am Me and Coal Crusher beat each other up out front.
If Bella Nipotina wins the TJ Smith Stakes next autumn, it’s another $1.725m in prizemoney. Connections are talking about a Royal Ascot campaign, which would still allow her time to back up for another stab at The Everest.
AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST WINNERS
1 Winx $26,451,175
2 Bella Nipotina $22,536,624
3 Nature Strip $20,755,018
4 Redzel $16,444,000
5 Verry Elleegant $14,886,619
Jockey Craig Williams was never worried about Bella Nipotina ($2.50 fav) backing up from her “grand final” a few weeks ago at Randwick.
“Riding a horse like her with the ability she has – she’s just an amazing horse,” Williams said.
“She had her grand final, she backed up in this, which was always the plan, but she still had to do it.”
“I was lucky to ride in an Arc de Triomphe meeting with [jockey] Frankie Dettori. I didn’t win, but Frankie did, and he said, ‘Craig, follow me back’. The wave of the crowd from the stands at Longchamp was unbelievable. That [post-race reception] was like it today. And deservedly so. She’s an amazing thoroughbred.”
Part-owner and part-breeder Michael Christian, a 1990 premiership winner with Collingwood, had tears in his eyes in the mounting yard and said: “When you hear the crowd welcome her back like that, it’s pretty special. She got all the favours, Craig gave her a beautiful ride … I’m just so proud and blessed to be associated with her.”
Williams is happy to travel anywhere, including the other side of the world next winter, to stick with Bella Nipotina.
Nature Strip bumps back to third on the all-time Aussie equine rich list with $20,755,018.
Sunshine In Paris ($4.40) and Lady Laguna ($18), two mares who ran in The Everest, completed the Russell Balding placings.
Tie The Knot colours live on
It never gets boring seeing the red and white colours made famous by champion Tie The Knot pop up at the racetrack.
Kingston Charm did just that when she cut the corner to pinch the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m).
Kingston Charm wins the Four Pillars.Credit: Getty Images
Tie The Knot won 21 races, including 13 group 1s, and was loved by John Thompson, who prepared Kingston Charm.
“I was good friends with [Tie The Knot’s trainer] Guy Walter. He stood next to dad [Vic] every day, he was a good friend and neighbour, and just to watch Tie The Knot was a dream,” Thompson said.
Sandy Tait bred and raced Tie The Knot and still owns a handful of horses, while his son, Jamie, part-owns Kingston Charm.
For Jamie, Tie The Knot’s two Sydney Cup wins, and his Underwood Stakes triumph when he came from the back of the pack, remains his three personal favourite memories.
As for Kingston Charm, Tait said: “We’ve had a great year with her because she won a Midway at Randwick about 60-1, then Zac rode a pearler on her at Hawkesbury last start, which got her rating up and into this race.”
Toilet dash to cheer winner
Trainer David Payne drew a few funny looks inside a toilet cubicle at a flashy Paddington restaurant when sneaking off to watch his State Of America win at Rosehill.
Payne was across town for his son’s 50th birthday at Ursula’s and was unable to be trackside to see his gelding make it three wins on the trot.
“I looked at the time and then snuck into the toilet to watch the race on the Racing NSW website,” Payne said.
“I could see him coming [at the top of the straight]. He should go further now he’s learned to settle. Some of those cups [over the summer] could be ideal. Because he’s so well, he might as well keep going.”
Despite the handsome victory, Payne said he was not allowed to pay for the lavish spread.
“My future daughter-in-law, Faye, has already insisted she will pay – plus I’ve picked up enough lunch tabs for the family over the years,” he said.
Meanwhile, Payne’s War Ribbon was first emergency for the Victoria Derby, failed to gain a start, and will now return home for a possible tilt at the listed The Beauford over 2300m in Newcastle.
Spanish Fox “perfect apprentice’s horse”
Zac Wadick described Spanish Fox as the “perfect apprentice’s horse” after the Michael Freedman-trained gelding made it five wins on the trot. Spanish Fox looked gone at the top of the straight and again on the line, and will now go for a well-earned break.
The 21-year-old apprentice spent Saturday morning riding Matthew Smith’s grey Floating, which runs in Tuesday’s Big Dance at Randwick. Wadick said his best memory of Melbourne Cup Day was 2012 when he backed Green Moon, despite being in primary school, and his dad later taking a larger-than-expected percentage from his winnings.
How the Golden Eagle could have been
Trying to work out the final placings if the two Golden Eagle protests had been upheld would have given you brain freeze.
So we asked chief steward Steve Railton to clear things up. Lazzat would have won the race if he succeeded in his protest, with Lake Forest second.
But had Stefi Magnetica’s camp succeeded in their claim they had been blocked for a run by Lazzat, Lazzat would have been relegated to fifth, Tom Kitten bumped up to second, Makarena third, and Stefi Magnetica fourth.
