The $50,000 Clan O’Sullivan 2YO (1000m) at Canberra on Friday was expected to produce a debut win for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Brave Smash (Jpn) filly Hokusai, but the short priced favourite couldn’t quite catch the locally trained Capitalist filly Miss Belgium.
The Norm Gardner trained Miss Belgium had valuable race experience and fitness on her side coming into this contest off a close fifth in a metro maiden on December 21
She led all the way to win by a length at her fourth start with Hokusai a gallant second.
A $1
30,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Alexia Fraser draft for Norm Gardner Racing, Miss Belgium was bred by Stuart Ramsey’s Turangga Farm and is the third winner from Lonely Hour, a half-sister by Fastnet Rock to multiple Group winner Champagne Cuddles and daughter of Group I winner Sky Cuddle.
Miss Belgium is the third two year-old winner this season for Capitalist joining stakes-winner Sovereign Fund, who runs at Doomben on Saturday, and impressive Randwick debut winner Lazzago. He has also sired three more stakes-placed juveniles in Pure Paradise, Mexico and Capital Chase.
The leading third season sire by winners, Newgate Farm’s Capitalist has 35 entries for Magic Millions Book 1 and 39 for Inglis Classic.
