Can Belclare Go Back to Back in G2 Westbury Stud Classic?

Media Release - Tuesday January 14

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.

After failing to meet her $700,000 reserve at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale last May, Belclare spent the spring campaigning in Australia in the care of Bjorn Baker, where she repaid the faith of her owner David Woodhouse with a pair of Group Two victories at Randwick and Rosehill.

Belclare winning the A$2 million Gr.2 The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick during her Australian campaign.   Photo: Steve Hart

The daughter of Per Incanto has won the last two editions of the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), and with her sights set on a three-peat, she returned to her original trainer, Awapuni horsewoman Lisa Latta.

“It’s fantastic, I’m really appreciative of David and Deb to give me the opportunity to have her back,” she said.

Belclare took her place in a 1000m heat on Tuesday where she and Group One performer Blissful Belle drew away from their rivals to go to the line in unison, the latter taking the trial by a nose in a sharp 1.00.29.

The mare dominated her rivals in the Westbury Classic 12 months ago, and Latta confirmed she will be at Ellerslie on January 25 to tackle the $500,000 fillies and mares feature.

“She just had a nice hit-out, they ran the fastest time of the day and she was second beaten a lip, so there was nothing in it,” Latta said. “It was exactly what we wanted to see.

“She’ll have a pretty quiet rest of the week, she’s a very easy horse to train.”

Belclare has made the Woodhouse’s black and white silks well-known to the racing fraternity, but not far behind her is younger stablemate Connello, who will carry them in Saturday’s Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m).

The Time Test filly ran a meritorious fifth in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), and since then has finished second to race-rival Leica Lucy in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m).

Advertisement

“She’s just a really professional filly, she’s not very big but she puts in her best every time,” Latta said. “She’s trained on well, she had a little freshen-up afterwards and she goes well like that.

“I’m just hoping for a nice draw.”

Connello holds an early nomination for the $1 million Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m), a distance Latta feels is well within her capabilities.

“We’ll know much more when we step her over 2000, but she gets her head down nice and low when she gallops and relaxes, so I get the feeling she will get over ground,” she said.

Latta will have a number of other runners in the Trentham undercard, including Belle’s Echo, who made a searing return in her new campaign at the course in mid-December winning over 1200m.

Coming from the back last Saturday over 1100m, she powered through the line to finish third to The Stoney One and Fancy Like Lass, a run that gave Latta confidence as she steps up in distance in the Taggs Accounting (1400m).

“I was really happy with her, she was doing her best work late on the line and through the line,” she said.

“That was suggest stepping up to

Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Kiwi Bred Belclare Ready for Aussie Debut
Kiwi-bred dual Group One winner Belclare is set to get her first taste of Australian racing when she heads to Rosehill on Saturday to tackle the Gr.2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) for new trainer Bjorn Baker.
One to Watch – Scone
Kris Lees often sends a talented horse to the country to cast off maiden status and a two year-old Exceedance gelding did just that on debut at Scone on Monday.
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.
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.
Sires With Winners - Monday June 23
Here is the full list of 29 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Highview Makes Welcome Return to Weanling Sale
Many of the vendors at this month’s NZB National Weanling Sale are familiar faces who are renowned for their quality drafts at this sale every year, but the 2025 edition also sees an old friend being welcomed back to the fold.
Aussie Bred HK G3 Double
A pair of Group III races were run at Sha Tin on Sunday with victory in the two last stakes races of the HK season both going to Aussie bred geldings Beauty Joy and Copartner Prance, who is a half-brother to Aquis based sire Kobayashi.
Bonny Grey Mare Wins G3 Strickland
Last December at Ascot, popular grey mare Admiration Express (My Admiration) nearly caused the upset result of the year when she charged home at odds of 100/1 in the G1 Northerly Stakes for second behind Victorian raider Light Infantry Man.
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.   
Countdown to NZB’s 2025 Weanling Sale
The countdown to NZB’s 2025 National Weanling Sale is underway, with a compact yet quality catalogue of 134 youngsters, plus 10 supplementary lots, selling this Thursday 26 June at Karaka.