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...
Blueblood Filly from Bonneval Offers Stakes Potential
Smart three-year-old filly Mary Eliza absorbed a strong tempo and still proved too good for her rivals when successful in the GMH Fire & Safety Australia Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Black Type Debacle Rears Head Again
Should Know Thyself be a new stakes-winner for The Autumn Sun? Paul Messara thought he was after winning the ‘as advertised’ Listed $500,000 The Coast at Gosford on Saturday, but as it turns out he’s not.
Zoustar Mare Wins French G3 for Interesting Owners
Champion Australian sire Zoustar posted an interesting winner overnight at Longchamp where five year-old mare Mgheera landed the Group III Prix de Saint-Georges (1000m) for Lord Lloyd Webber and Arthur Mitchell of Yarraman Park.
Sires With Winners - Sunday May 11
Here is the full list of 65 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Bassett Colts on Track for Royal Ascot
Given the highest ever service fee ($385,000) for a stallion standing in Australia, Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) has a new wave of exciting juveniles ready to unleash in the Northern Hemisphere and two of them won on Saturday, one each for Godolphin and Coolmore.
Another Star Rises for Champion WA sire Playing God
Simon Miller has maintained from day one that his Playing God three year old West Star is a horse with “x-factor” and the gelding proved it yesterday with an absolutely dominant win in the G3 Northam Stakes.
Trelawney Stud Hopeful for Blueblood Madiyya
A decorated Trelawney Stud family has another potential black-type performer within its ranks with the emergence of Madiyya.
First Settler Added to Yulong Roster
A lightly raced Group II winning son of Capitalist, First Settler has been added to the roster for Yulong this spring at a fee of $11,000.
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.
Wootton Bassett G1 Course Record Breaker - Pedigree Watch – Euro 3YO
The French classics for three year-olds over a mile were run overnight at Longchamp with Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) having first and third in the colts renewal, while there was a protest in the fillies race that produced victory for an Agha Khan homebred filly by Siyouni.