It was a big weekend for Cambridge Stud proprietors Jo and Brendan Lindsay MNZM, as they watched their smart two-year-old filly Bavella (Snitzel[AUS]-Zonza), score valuable black type.
At her second appearance on a racetrack the attractive bay filly trounced her rivals in the Listed Splice Construction 2YO Stakes at Pukekohe Park. She sat three wide from the jump in the 1100 metre event, and cruised to the lead in the straight running away to win by nearly fourth lengths. Proving her easy victory on debut at Ellerslie in late October was no fluke.
Bavella is trained at the Lindsay’s racing property in Karaka by Lance Noble, and according to Brendan Lindsay, will probably now be aimed at the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
She is the second foal, from the Zabeel mare Zonza that was raced by the Lindsays and provided them with one of their biggest thrills in racing when she won the Gr.3 MRC Ladies Day Vase at Caulfield in 2013.
“She really was a standout mare for us, and it was a real highlight for us winning a group three at Caulfield,” said Lindsay.
“This is her first foal to race, we also have a lovely three-year-old Pins (AUS) filly with Roger James and Robert Wellwood called Marmello who is yet to race, and we have a lovely yearling More Than Ready filly.The mare has foaled a lovely colt to Tavistock and is now in foal to Almanzour(FR). It was a pretty good result for Cambridge Stud, all round.”
Zonza was out of the Gold Brose(AUS) mare Sonet, out of the Danehill(USA) mare Lorelei’s Song. She won five races including the Lady’s Day Vase, and was second in the Listed ATC Lord Mayor’s Cup and the ARC Champion Stakes Prelude. As well she ran fourth in the Gr.1 Hawkes Bay Spring Classic, the Gr.2 Japan/Bay of Plenty International Stakes and the Gr.3 Westbury Classic.
Sonet is the dam of 12 foals, the last of which is a Pentire(GB) filly in Book Two at Karaka this summer, and besides Zonza she has left the stakes placed Our Shakira who won two races. Her dam Lorelei’s Song won two races.
Prominent bloodstock agent John Foote has been involved with Jo and Brendan Lindsay for many years and joins in the discussion when it comes to mating plans for their extensive broodmare portfolio.
“Jo and I wanted to go to Snitzel (AUS) more than he did, but we wanted the proven Danehill(USA) over Zabeel cross, which we get through Snitzel’s sire Redoute’s Choice(AUS). It’s hard to poke criticism at a cross like that,” added Lindsay.
“When John saw the first foal, the Pins (AUS) filly when she was about a month old, he said he thought that Zonza would turn out to be our best broodmare, which was a pretty amazing comment to make. Maybe he’s right.
“Look Bavella was pretty well on Saturday and wasn’t extended and we have our fingers crossed that she will keep going, but you never know what is going to come up as the season progresses. At least we don’t have to worry about the Karaka Million like a lot of the two-year-old trainers, and to be honest she’s not so perfect in every way and probably wouldn’t have got much as a yearling.
“The More Than Ready filly on the other hand is a stunning individual and the Tavistock colt who carries that magic Tavistock over Zabeel cross, and will be sold at the sales next year, is quite stunning.”
Lindsay was also excited about the prospect of the Almanzour in utero, stating that stallion has done well in his first season and has been oversubscribed.
“He was limited to 140 mares, and we had to reduce the number of our own mares to him by about six to give other breeders a chance to go to him. He has had a really good year, he has a great temperament and likes his job as well which helps.
“When we first got him over early in the season bookings were a bit slow, but once breeders got to see him they went Wow and his book has filled up.” - Michelle Saba
