Croatian Belle Heads to the Gold Coast with Perfect Record - Exceedance Half-Sister at MM

Mark Smith - Saturday December 31

Brazen Beau filly Croatian Belle is off to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic with a perfect two-for-two record following a fighting win in the Summer Membership On Sale Now Hcp (1000m) at Moonee Valley.

Two for two (image Grant Courtney)

Ridden by Michael Dee for Ben and JD Hayes, Croatian Belle travelled outside of leader Extremely Wicked. Levelling up rounding the home turn, Croatian Belle found a willing opponent in the $550,000 daughter of Zoustar, who only conceded in the final 100m to go own by three-quarters of a length.

Godolphin's Fastnet Rock debutant Corniche was two and three-quarter lengths back in third.

Advertisement

Carrying a 3.5kg penalty for her win on debut over the same course and distance on December 12, Croatian Belle has put $175,000 in the bank for her large group of enthusiastic female owners.

Ben Hayes revealed he had agonised over running the daughter of Brazen Beau here or Flemington on New Year's Day.

"It's a relief because I spent all week thinking about which race to run in – luckily, I made the right decision," Hayes said.

"She was great, carrying three and a half extra kilos. It was a beautiful ride by Michael. She has improved and was strong through the line.

"I was under a lot of pressure today because we have all of Grace's (Ramage) family here and my aunty in the horse.

"We have an excitable group of owners heading to a $2.5 million race, so Gold Coast, here we come."

Croatian Belle has already paid for herself (image Grant Courtney)

A $130,000 purchase for Lindsay Park from the Baramul Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Croatian Belle is the first foal of the High Chaparral (IRE) mare Croatian.

A sister to the Group III Rough Habit Plate runner-up A Man to Match, Croatian has a filly from the first crop of Exceedance heading to the Magic Millions in January (lot 1066). 

Runner-up Extremely Wicked has a half-sister from the first crop of Too Darn Hot in the Vinery Stud draft at the Magic Millions. (lot 828).

Croatian missed to Ole Kirk last spring.

Darley Stud's Brazen Beau has ten catalogued for the Magic Millions, 11 in the Inglis Classic, and 18 for the Inglis Premier.

Advertisment

Race Result - Summer Membership On Sale Now 1000m

Moonee Valley Track: Good(4) Time: 0:58.58
1
Croatian Belle
- 2f Brazen Beau (AUS) x Croatian (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: M J Dee 59
2
0.8
Extremely Wicked
- 2f Zoustar (AUS) x Enbihaar (AUS) (Magnus (AUS))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: B Melham 56.5
3
3.6
Corniche
- 2c Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Montsegur (AUS) (New Approach (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: John Allen 58.5
4
8.2
Mansiere
- 2c Brave Smash (JPN) x Double Dee (AUS) (Dubleo (USA))
Tnr: Nick Ryan Rdr: M Zahra 58.5
5
9.0
Legacy Rose
- 2f Stratosphere (AUS) x Feisty Rose (AUS) (Fusaichi Pegasus (USA))
Tnr: P Kearney Rdr: J Noonan 55.5
More Reading...
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Pelzter added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Brazen Beau's Croatian Belle Impresses on Debut
Croatian Belle will be aimed at the Magic Millions 2yo Classic after the daughter of Brazen Beau made a winning career debut before a large group of enthusiastic female owners in Friday's Ladbrokes Same Race Multi Hcp (1000m) at Moonee Valley.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.