Bon’s a Pearla a Show Ring Star at 2024 Ekka

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday August 13

Thoroughbreds are taking centre stage this week at the 2024 Ekka in Brisbane and the led classes were dominated by a very interesting mare.

Bon's a Pearla won the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude - image Grant Courtney

Six year-old Bon Hoffa mare Bon’s a Pearla was a more than useful racehorse winning the Group II MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude when trained by Kevin Corstens and she was also third in the Group I VRC Australian Guineas behind quality colts Hitotsu and Lightsabre, who are both now standing at stud.

Bred and raced by Victorian owner / breeder and syndicator Ken King, Bon’s a Pearla was subsequently sold off her top class three year-old performances to Hong Kong based owners and continued her career in the stable of David Hayes and then with PC Ng.

Advertisement

Bon’s a Pearla didn’t quite measure up to stakes class in Hong Kong, but she did win twice at Happy Valley earlier this year before earning a ticket home to retirement which has led her into the show ring in Brisbane this week.

Bon's a Pearla crowned the Supreme Champion Led Thoroughbred at the Ekka.

Prepared and shown by well known Queensland off the track re-trainer Amy Taylor, Bon’s a Pearla won her led mare class, champion led mare and then finally Supreme Champion Led Thoroughbred with the guest judge of thoroughbreds at this year’s show being leading Sydney trainer Adrian Bott.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Bon's A Pearla in Thousand Guineas Prelude
Carrying the colours of her sire Bon Hoffa, the Kevin Corstens-trained outsider Bon’s a Pearla overpowered the favourite Heresy in Saturday’s $300,000 Group II Off The Track Community Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield.
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
Wootton Bassett Colt Leads Coolmore G1 Trifecta
The last British Group I race of the flat season was run overnight at Doncaster with Aidan O’Brien producing a trifecta of two year-old colts led by a son of the late Wootton Bassett (GB) in Hawk Mountain, who was too good for a pair of Frankel colts.
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 25
Here is the full list of 136 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.