Winning Saturday Double

Following the Group One Tarzino win by Melody Belle (Commands) it seemed almost conclusive that Burgundy Belle (4 m Burgundy - Spin ‘N Grin, by Spinning World), in the same Fortuna Syndicate colours, and with the identical rider aboard, would cap the day with victory in the $25,000 Swiss Ace Trophy Rating 72 1300 metres on 31 August at Hastings.

And, in similar fashion to the esteemed Queen of the Turf in New Zealand, Burgundy Belle unwound a terrific finishing burst to reel in the leader near home.

Recording her fourth win from eight starts, including three thirds, for the Fortuna Burgundy Belle Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), and ridden by Michael McNab, she steadied off a competitive pace, seventh and four lengths astern at the 600m, before angling clear at the 350m with huge run.

“She switched off to travel well, lay in a touch when I pulled her out but once I gave her one she really got home,” McNab said.

A beautifully bred filly, her sire Burgundy (Redoute's Choice), won five stakes' races and finished third in the Telegraph (Gr. 1, 1200m), while dam Spin ‘N Grin was also a very smart performer, winning the Eight Carat Classic (Gr. 2, 1600m) and finishing second in the New Zealand Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m).

“She's taken awhile to strengthen up and come right,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “Her preference is left-handed - form right-handed hasn't quite been as strong - but, again, I said to Michael, don't panic, find a bit of cover, and she probably ended up a spot further back than I thought he'd be, but to his credit he waited, she balanced, and really let down. 

“She'll go to Rating 82 grade now and we'll just try and work her through 1200m and 1400-metre races, but she's certainly a progressive mare and as she gets a little bit older she can handle these firmer tracks as well.”

On terrific spring footing, rated Dead4, Burgundy Belle ran the 1300 metres in 1:15.9 and paid $4.30 & $1.90 on the NZ TAB.

“It's a dream result on a thrilling day,” Galvin said. “To follow the win by Melody Belle with another really nice mare, Burgundy Belle, and she's fashioning a pretty good record.

“I'm just so happy to be a part of all this and bring so many thrills to so many people.”

Te Akau principal David Ellis said: “Karyn and I bred Burgundy Belle and I told John (Galvin) that she was one of the best foals the mare had produced and advised him to buy her. I bought Spin ‘N Grin as a yearling for $65,000 out of the Premier Sale at Karaka, and Mark (Walker) trained her for Tom and Sue Roper, and then we took her over to breed from. 

“Spin ‘N Grin was a high-class filly and it's a great result because I also bought Burgundy as a yearling and he's making a pretty good name for himself standing at Brendan and Jo Lindsay's Cambridge Stud.”

“Fortuna has also owned stakes' fillies Windborne and Darci's Dream that we bred, both by Darci Brahma, and Bugundy Belle looks like another capable of winning stakes' races.” 

Burgundy Belle was strapped by Kate Belsham.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

Back