Bella’s family a beauty for breeder Longwood -Paul Vettise TDN AusNZ

Longwood Thoroughbred Farm was involved in three significant purchases at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale earlier this year and one of them enjoyed a particularly satisfying pedigree update at Caulfield on Saturday.

While Kennebec (More Than Ready {USA}) wasn’t the most expensive at $300,000 of the trio of mares secured at the Gold Coast by Michael Christian’s Longwood with Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA), she was one with special connections.

Kennebec is a daughter of the G2 Gilgai S. winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter Hallowell Belle (Starcraft {NZ}), whose half-sister Bella Orfana (Star Witness) is the dam of Saturday’s G3 How Now S. winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai).

Christian and his wife Siobhan, with his brother Brad, bought Longwood in 2018 and bred Bella Nipotina, who was sold at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for $80,000 to Lindsay Park Racing, Andrew Williams Bloodstock and Mt Hallowell Stud.

Bella Nipotina winning the G3 How Now S.

“It’s been an amazing ride with Bella Nipotina. She was originally purchased by Lindsay Park and we retained an interest in her as a yearling. In mid-September after the Sale, David Hayes rang me and said I think she goes pretty well,” Christian said.

“She trialled well and David decided to run her in the Listed Debutant S. She travelled very well but was caught in behind the leader and was desperately unlucky.

“She went for an inside run and got blocked and had to come around off heels and finished off the race strongly without threatening to finish fourth. To think that was two years ago and she’s had her best career win now is testament to her constitution, toughness and durability.”