Riccarton Double - Belle Simply Beautiful

Resuming in style, Belle Du Monde (3 f Zoustar – Lady Cartier, by Fastnet Rock) won the $40,000 3YO 1000 metres on Saturday at Riccarton.

As a two-year-old, Belle Du Monde finished second in her first two starts at Ellerslie, spelled following the Karaka Millions 2YO won by stable-mate La Dorada, and looked good when striding out to easily win a trial on 19 August at Ashburton.

Ridden by Vinnie Colgan, Belle Du Monde tracked stable-mate and race favourite Cool Aza Rene over the sprint trip, was clear at the 200m, and unleashed with big strides to claim the victory.

From a classy family of stakes' winners, Belle Du Monde had displayed genuine endeavour during her first campaign, resulting in two seconds from three starts. The win puts her on a path towards contesting either the Group 1 2000 Guineas or Group 1 1000 Guineas, both of which Te Akau has won seven times, during Cup Week on the course in November. 

It was also a good first-up performance by Cool Aza Rene, who won four of five starts as a two-year-old last season, and provided trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson with the race quinella.

“It was a really good ride by Vinnie and she would have learned a lot as well,” said Bergerson, on course.

“Obviously, she followed the stable-mate, got the split at the right time, and the way she attacked the line was a really positive sign, heading towards the Canterbury Belle in a fortnight.

“She’s a talented filly and showed us plenty early on. She’s got a big frame, too, and they’re two completely different types of fillies, where Cool Aza Rene is short and compact, and she is big and scopey. 

“We always thought she would get better with time and hopefully that’s going to be proven. It’s exciting times for the ownership group, she’s a lovely filly that still has a few quirks and a few things to learn, but she’s on the right track.”

Her next proposed assignment, the $80,000 Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) is scheduled for Saturday 13 September at Riccarton, a race that Te Akau has won five times, most recently in 2023 with Viva Vienna (All Too Hard). 

In the race named NZ Horse Ambulance Winter Appeal Three-Year-Old, Belle Du Monde ran 1000 metres in 58.8 on Soft6 footing, and paid $4.60 & $1.40 on the NZ TAB tote.

Mark Walker said: “It was a good effort to get up from the trail and win like she did, today.

“She’s a filly that has always shown really good ability, and Hunter (Durrant) and the team have got her nice and relaxed in our stables on the course at Riccarton.

“She was always going to be suited getting over more ground, had the makings of a lovely three-year-old, and stepping up to 1200 metres in the Canterbury Belle Stakes will be a step in the right direction.

“She’ll follow a campaign path towards the 1000 Guineas, from here on in.”

Owned by the Te Akau Love de Cartier Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Belle Du Monde was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $400,000 at the 2024 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Kaha Nui Farm. 

From a beautiful family, full of stakes' winners, she was a filly that oozed class.

Her sire Zoustar won six of his nine starts, including two Group One's and a Group Two, and became one of the most sought-after stallions in Australia, following the premature demise of his sire Northern Meteor (Encosta De Lago), who had been Champion First Season Sire, as too was Zoustar.

Zoustar was sold to stud for A$14 million in the week leading up to his victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington, which provided NZ jockey Jim Cassidy with his 100th Group One win. Cassidy claimed Zoustar to be “a better three-year-old than Redoute’s Choice and more brilliant than Pierro”.

Zoustar is a prolific sire of over 750 individual winners, including nearly 70 stakes' winners. He is the sire of triple Group One winner Sunlight, Champion 3YO Filly in Australia, who sold for A$4.2 million as a broodmare. 

Belle Du Monde is from a mare that won over 1400 metres, by Champion Sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill).

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “This filly is from one of the best families in the studbook.

“She is a beautiful filly, with plenty of strength, fluid motion, and great balance.

“I’m thrilled that in this market we can buy fillies with this type of pedigree, the family of Group One winners: Redoute’s Choice, Platinum Scissors, Manhattan Rain, Umatilla, and Hurricane Sky, all within the pedigree. 

“It’s not often we can buy fillies with this depth of family in New Zealand, and anything she does on the race track just adds to her enormous residual and commercial value.”

Belle Du Monde carries a very dominant influence of breed shaping Champion Sire Danehill (Danzig), on the dam line of Zoustar and both sides of Lady Cartier pedigree. 

Belle Du Monde was strapped by Grace Stevenson.

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz