Last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Belle En Rouge returned to her happy hunting ground at Trentham to take out the Gr.3 Dixon & Dunlop Anniversary Handicap (1600m).
The four-year-old mare had been steadily winding into the form that saw her one of the standout performers of her three-year-old season, with a storming late finish to finish runner-up to stablemate Campionessa at Group Two level putting the writing on the wall that she was ready to strike.
Partnered by visiting Australian rider Dean Yendall, the Te Akau Racing home-bred daughter of Burgundy settled beautifully against the rail beyond midfield before angling into the middle of the track to commence the run home.
Yendall unleashed her at the 200m and she quickly stormed to the lead before easing clear to win by a length and a half from stablemate Belle Of The Ball, who stormed home out wide to snatch the runner-up position from outsider Conor O’Ceirin.
Walker was pleased to see his charge back in the winner’s circle after a disappointing spring campaign where she was plagued by wet tracks.
“It’s good to see her back as her spring form was due to all the wet tracks she struck,” Walker said.
“Back on good ground she has shown what she is made of.
“She has always been a special filly as she was bred on the farm.”
Walker admitted he had a feeling his charge could get back to winning form and praised the effort by Yendall.
“I thought as long as she could jump out better she was a real chance,” he said.
“It was a great ride by Dean as he rode her for a bit of luck and it just opened up (in the straight) for him.
“The second mare (Belle Of The Ball) also ran well without much luck.
“We’ll take them home now and regroup, but she (Belle En Rouge) is at a decent place in the handicap still, so we will reassess as I think she is competitive anywhere between 1400m-2000m.”
Raced by the Te Akau Beautiful in Red Racing Partnership and bred by Te Akau’s David Ellis and Karyn Fenton-Ellis, Belle En Rouge has now won five of her 18 starts and over $491,000 in stakes. – NZ Racing Desk
