Belclare to Join Bjorn Baker Stable

Media Release - Wednesday June 5

Group One winner Belclare’s retirement from racing has been short-lived, with the daughter of Per Incanto set to join expat Kiwi trainer Bjorn Baker’s Sydney barn.

The six-year-old mare had a stellar racing career in New Zealand, winning 11 races for Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta, including the last two editions of the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).

Belclare will race on in Australia for Bjorn Baker.

She was subsequently offered at Magic Millions’ National Broodmare Sale last month where she failed to meet her A$700,000 reserve.

While initially disappointed with the outcome, breeder and co-owner David Woodhouse is excited by the prospect of racing his dual Group One winner in Australia.

“I am sending her to Bjorn Baker,” Woodhouse said. “They obviously didn’t rate New Zealand Group racing, so I am trying to prove a point.

“Everyone is amazed she didn’t sell. Maybe I put too high a reserve on her, but I was taking advice on the reserve.

“I am actually quite excited about the prospect of having another go with her.”

Spring targets await Belclare, with her new trainer already eyeing the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at Wyong on September 6 as a possible first target.

“We will just see how she comes up. We are just trying to win a Group race in Australia,” Woodhouse said. “There is a fillies and mares 1350m race at Wyong at the start of September, and that might be a starting point.”

While a Group win in Australia is the primary objective, Woodhouse said there are contingency plans if she doesn’t flatter Baker in the early stages of her preparation.

Advertisement

“Bjorn said that if she doesn’t show him anything early on, he won’t be persevering with her,” Woodhouse said. “I would then get her in-foal in Australia and either try and sell her in foal or bring her home and let Lisa (Latta) have another go with her.”

Selling Belclare would be the ultimate goal for Woodhouse, who said in his stage of life, racing has become his primary passion.

“I am now 73 and it is getting increasingly more difficult to handle foals,” he said. “I just love racing horses, so I thought if I can make a bit of money out of her, I could carry on racing horses for the rest of my days. That plan didn’t come to fruition, but I am looking forward to plan b.”

Woodhouse has got plenty to look forward to with Belclare’s siblings.

“I have got a full-brother (to Belclare), Ardoe, he is just spelling and will come back into work in two months’ time,” Woodhouse said. “The half-sister by Time Test (Rithim) is going to the trials next Tuesday, Lisa (Latta) is very happy with her. We have got a beautiful weanling full-sister at home, and the mare is in-foal to Satono Aladdin.”

Woodhouse is also excited about next season with his rising three-year-old filly Connello, who has returned to his Wairarapa property for a spell following her sixth-placed run in last Saturday’s Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) on an unsuitable Heavy10 track at Wanganui.

“She is home for a month. She just didn’t handle how wet it was at Wanganui on Saturday,” Woodhouse said. “She is jumping out of her skin, she is tearing around the paddock like a lunatic.

“She was due for a little let-up, that was quite the number of starts (seven) for a little two-year-old. We will bring her back and maybe target the Gold Trail (Gr.3, 1200m) or find a suitable Pearl Series race for her.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Belclare Seeking to Find Best Form Back in Australia
Dual Group One winner Belclare’s return home for a three-race campaign didn’t go to plan earlier this year, and now she is back on the other side of the Tasman to try and get her preparation back on track.
Belclare Chasing Another Kiwi G1
Following a lucrative spring campaign in Sydney, multiple Group One winner Belclare has returned to New Zealand in a bid to secure her third successive Gr.1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) crown at Ellerslie on Champions Day in March.
Can Belclare Go Back to Back in G2 Westbury Stud Classic?
Dual Group One-winning mare Belclare made her first public appearance back on home soil at the Foxton trials on Tuesday, as she readies for a title defence in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) on Karaka Millions Night next week.
Tattersall’s Mile For The Inflictor - Under The Louvre’s Second SW
Third at Listed level before winning at Doomben, the Craig Cousins-trained The Inflictor (Under The Louvre) then tackled the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, and while not in the same league as winner War Wachine (Harry Angel), the 4yo gelding showed his class on Saturday to win the Listed BRC Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Blessing in Disguise - Belclare Makes Breeder Happy
Belclare’s failure to reach her A$700,000 reserve at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare sale earlier this year has proven to be a blessing in disguise for owner-breeder David Woodhouse.
Corumbene Stud Homebred Tashi Wins G1 Tatts Tiara
From the last crop of foals sired by Widden Stud’s much missed Golden Slipper winning sire Sebring, five year-old mare Tashi may also be his final Group I winner as she produced a career best performance at Eagle Farm on Saturday to win the $700,000 Group I Tatts Tiara (1400m).
Kiwi Mare Belclare Wins $2million G2 Invitation
An elite G1 winning sprinter miler in her home land of New Zealand, Belclare came to Sydney chasing spring riches and found the mother lode in the $2million Group II ATC The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.   
Aussie 2YO SW for Tivaci
New Zealand-bred colt Matahga stamped himself as an exciting spring three-year-old prospect with a hard-fought victory in the A$120,000 Listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Another Aussie SW Sourced from Aga Khan Studs
When Australian investors buy tried horses out of Europe from Aga Khan Studs they know they are getting quality, but the good ones don’t come cheap with Elamaz (IRE) sourced from their draft at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for €480,000.