Iron mare Bella denies I Wish I Win in thrilling Doomben 10,000 (TTR)

In a thrilling finish to the Doomben 10,000, Ciaron Maher’s iron mare Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) secured her second Group 1 and eighth career success.

Ridden by Craig Williams, Bella Nipotina came from a near impossible position to chase and catch the high-class I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), while Espiona (Extreme Choice) denied Private Eye (Al Maher) third place.

Maher was overcome with emotion when chatting to 7HorseRacing about the bonny mare, “She’s unbelievable. You just can’t not love her. Her tenacity, her durability to race in every state in Australia in one preparation. It’s phenomenal.

“After she bombed the start, I thought ‘Oh well, she’s done well, she’ll run well but she can’t win from there’”, but when Bella Nipotina gets these conditions, her confidence really does soar and I thought I Wish I Win was unbeatable, but she was able to pick him up.

“I think she’s been talking to Pride Of Jenni, also by Pride Dubai, because they are both just as phenomenal as each other and great horses to train. She’s probably in the twilight of her career but to race with as much tenacity as she ever has just shows how good she is.

“I think we’ll probably return for the G1 Tattersalls Tiara.”

Bella Nipotina is the first foal from the Star Witness mare Bella Orfana, who is closely related to the G2 Gilgai S. victress Hallowell Belle (Starcraft {NZ}). Hallowell Belle, like Bella Nipotina, also recorded multiple Group 1-placings during her outstanding career, with seconds in the G1 Flight S., the G1 Blue Diamond S. and third-placed efforts in the G1 TJ Smith S., the G1 Patinack Classic and the G1 The Thousand Guineas.

Incredibly, Bella Nipotina didn’t break her maiden until her eighth start when she won the G3 Quezette S. since then the daughter of Pride Of Dubai has recorded victories in the G1 Manikato S., the G2 Sapphire S., the G3 How Now S. , the Listed Carlyon S. and the Giga Kick S. and prizemoney of over $9.8 million.

Bella Nipotina was a $80,000 purchase by Lindsay Park Racing, Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) and Mt Hallowell Stud from the draft of Rosemont Stud at the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.