Tauranga Double - Inca Belle Bounces Home

Previous course winner Inca Belle (4 m Per Incanto – Belle Vie, by Darci Brahma) was back to her best winning the $40,000 Rating 65 1400 metres on 12 January at Tauranga. 

After finishing well for close fifth in the Rating 65 1400 metres on 22 December at Matamata, Inca Belle had shown a liking for the course at her only start, when capping a hat-trick of wins at just the third start, and returned to that sort of form.

Ridden by Te Akau apprentice Niranjan Parmar, Inca Belle settled between runners beyond midfield, six lengths 600m, and angled clear on straightening she quickened very well to claim stable-mate Alminette (Burgundy), who travelled three wide near the pace throughout for jockey Opie Bosson.

On footing upgraded to Good4, in the race sponsored by Ray White Greerton, Inca Belle ran 1400 metres in 1:25.1 and paid $7.00 & $2.50 on the NZ TAB tote.

“She was really well ridden by Parmar and good to see her win like that,” said co-trainer Mark Walker. 

“She goes back up in grade, obviously, but the way she won today suggests she can go on with it.

“She showed a lot of promise as a three-year-old, just hit a bit of a flat spot but she’s come back to form now, and another horse that Dave (Ellis) and John (Galvin) bought really cheaply at the Ready to Run Sale.”

Interestingly, at the corresponding meeting last season, Pure Imagination (Darci Brahma) provided Walker his 100th win of the season, setting a new record for fastest century, ahead of the record 203 wins at season end, and Inca Belle was win no. 95 for the Walker and Sam Bergerson partnership this season.

Inca Belle was purchased by David Ellis CNZM and John Galvin for $50,000 at the 2021 NZB Ready To Run Sale, from the draft of Phoenix Park, and owned by Fortuna Inca Belle Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin). 

Te Akau previously trained a half-brother to dam Inca Belle. Purchased as yearling by Ellis, Equinox (Exceed and Excel – Our Ella Belle) won four races and finished second in the El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (Listed, 1300m). 

The family has been nurtured by Pencarrow Stud since (Sir) Peter and the late Philip Vela bought her fourth dam, Heidi Belle (Copenhagen 11).

“From the draw (7) we gave Parmar the instructions to see where she was comfortable and I thought he handled it pretty well,” Galvin said.

“She was never under any pressure in the run, so able to travel nicely, and turning for home you could sense she was working her way into it.

“She loomed from the 300m and always looked like she was going to be in the finish. She only won by a narrow margin (short neck), but was pretty soft at the line and won with authority.

“She was very competitive last start at Matamata, finishing fifth in a blanket finish, so she was ready to win today I thought.

“She’ll be in Rating 75 grade now and that is always a hard grade to win, but I think she is ready to take the step.

“She was a reasonably priced Ready to Run purchase by David and I, nice pedigree, and she’s developed into a very handy race mare and future breeding proposition."

Inca Belle was strapped by Cooper Stumbles. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz