A change of tack by trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace continues to pay early dividends for the Caulfield trainers.
They took a different approach to the last round of yearling sales with a bent on sourcing precocious youngsters and they have already been handsomely rewarded.
Success in the G3 Breeders’ Plate at Randwick with Dubious (Not A Single Doubt) in September and at Flemington on Tuesday with Bella Rosa (Snitzel) in the G3 Bumble S., have been both satisfying and vindicatory of their selection policy.
“We expanded our budget and went out and got some really nice 2-year-old types.” - Ciaron Maher.
“We expanded our budget and went out and got some really nice 2-year-old types,” Maher said.
“We got the job done up in Sydney and it’s a big thank-you to the team.”
Dubious was a $350,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase and they had to dig deeper to secure Bella Rosa for $575,000 out of Segenhoe Stud’s draft.
“They do a great job at Segenhoe, Kevin Maloney and Peter O’Brien, they keep churning them out.” - Ciaron Maher.
Bella Rosa as a yearling
“She’s a cheap horse now. They do a great job at Segenhoe, Kevin Maloney and Peter O’Brien, they keep churning them out,” Maher said.
Fortunately, dreadful conditions for the Cup day opener at Flemington didn’t rain on the parade of Bella Rosa (Snitzel), who coped admirably on the soft, bordering on heavy, going.
A lead-up trial winner on a good track, she camped in behind the pace and finished off resolutely to open her career in perfect fashion.
“It’s very wet and I couldn’t see much,” rider Mark Zahra said. “Luckily, I had an uninterrupted run.
“It’s my first time on her and she’s a little professional.” – Mark Zahra.
“It’s my first time on her and she’s a little professional. I was up with the speed and was niggling at her a way out, but she found a good kick.”
The weather did nothing to dampen the spirits of Bella Rosa's connections after her win in the G3 Bumble S.
Bella Rosa had half a head to spare on the David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig debutante Lankan Star (Nicconi) with stablemate and Listed Debutant S., winner Champagne Boom (Spirit Of Boom) getting home late for a close third.
The well-fancied Sisstar (Zoustar) was in or near the lead throughout and the sister to the G1 Coolmore Stud S., winner Sunlight wilted late to finish fourth.
“She raced very well and didn’t quite have the strength in the finish.” - Tony McEvoy.
“She raced very well and didn’t quite have the strength in the finish,” trainer Tony McEvoy said.
Meanwhile, Sunlight will be rewarded with a break following her defeat of the top colts on the opening day of the carnival.
“She was a little bit tired on Sunday morning, she never left anything in the locker room,” McEvoy said.
“She’ll be heading home to my farm on Thursday and she’ll be in the paddock on Thursday.”
