Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
Windsor Park Stud graduate Grinzinger Belle (Shamexpress) produced another quality first-up performance at Flemington to add to her stakes record.
The Danny O’Brien-prepared representative was successful in last season’s Gr.3 Vanity Stakes (1400m) off a break and successfully resumed in the Gr.2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.
She is a mare close to the trainer’s heart as he guided her sire Shamexpress to victory in the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) before he retired to Windsor Park.
The Cambridge nursery also celebrated the impressive debut victory of homebred Age Of Discovery at Riccarton, which earned the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained three-year-old a $14 quote for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).
“Grinzinger Belle has come back bigger and stronger and that was her first time on an off track, so she’s pretty versatile and classy,” Windsor Park General Manager Steve Till said.
“She looks like she’s got a very good spring ahead of her.”
Grinzinger Belle is the first foal of the Rip Van Winkle mare Ripsomemore, a half-sister to Golden Parachute who won seven times in South Africa including the Gr.3 Kenilworth Chairman’s Cup (3200m).
Their dam is the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) winner Maxamore and a family that has produced Wild Night, Play That Song and Maxam, also Group Two winners.
“Bruce and Maureen Douglas were Mapperley and Windsor Park clients and they bred Maxamore and bred and raced Maxam and when they retired from breeding we took the family over,” Till said.
Grinzinger Belle was sold to Victorian owner John Wheeler during New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $32,000 and has now won more than A$450,000.
“Ripsomemore had a Turn Me Loose filly last season, who is entered for Karaka but we may have to re-evaluate things and one we may keep now,” Till said.
“She’s got a Vanbrugh filly on her and has been served by Savabeel.”
Meanwhile, Age Of Discovery was a $625,000 Karaka purchase last year for Te Akau chief David Ellis, who had also bought his winning brother Espionage for $825,000 in 2020.
Their dam is the Fastnet Rock mare Bayrock who has proved to be an inspired buy for Windsor Park, having secured the sister to multiple Group One winner and sire Merchant Navy for A$140,000 at the Inglis Broodmare Sale.
“It’s such a good family in Australia, and has been for decades, and part of the reason we bought into it,” Till said.
“Merchant Navy hadn’t come up at the stage we bought Bayrock and that subsequently gave her quite a lift. Top fillies like (Gr.1 Thousand Guineas winner) Joliestar have ensured the family has kicked on very strongly.
“There’s another filly that Ben Kwok races called Bay Of Zea that won on Sunday (at Seymour), Liam Howley trains her so it’s a family that keeps on giving.
“Now, Age Of Discovery looks like he’s going to shape up to be a very good horse.
“He was such a good type that Rodney (Schick) said to David Ellis that he would be happy to be in the Stallion Syndicate that the colt is part of, so he retained a small share.”
All three of Bayrock foals to race by Savabeel have been successful and includes the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes (1400m) winner Hindaam.
Bayrock’s filly by the multiple champion stallion was sold at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$500,000 with the China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy signing the ticket.
“Her combination with Savabeel has been exceptional, she missed last year to him and is going to go to Paddington this season,” Till said.
Paddington is a four-time Group One winning son of champion sire Siyouni who is on his first shuttle run to Windsor Park.
