Inglis Confirm Bella Nipotina for Inglis Chairman's Sale

Media Release - Thursday March 20

Bella Nipotina will be offered for sale at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale at Riverside on the evening of May 8.

Record-breaking Bella Nipotina is a once-in-lifetime horse.

A winner of 11 races – four at G1 level including The Everest – she was this week retired with prizemoney earnings of $22,757,625, second behind only the champion Winx.

Trained for the bulk of her career by Ciaron Maher having started with David Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Bella Nipotina was an exceptional race mare, earning a Timeform rating of 123 and running to a peak of 104.7 WFA Performance Rating for The Rating Bureau.

Bella Nipotina won over $20million in prizemoney - image Steve Hart

She is the first and only female to win The Everest, jumping from barrier 12 to defeat the likes of Giga Kick, Lady Of Camelot, Sunshine In Paris, Private Eye, Joliestar, Stefi Magnetica, I Wish I Win etc in the world’s richest race on turf.

She was a remarkably consistent race filly and mare – Bella Nipotina won or placed in 13 G1 races and regularly overcame ill fortune having drawn barrier 10 or wider in 10 of her G1 starts.

She is a winner of the $3m Winners Stakes over 1300m at Rosehill in consecutive seasons defeating the likes of Think About It, Private Eye, Sunshine In Paris, Lady Of Laguna, Mazu etc.

Bella Nipotina will be offered at the Chairman’s Sale as a breeding prospect.

Bella Nipotina is bred by Longwood Thoroughbred Farm’s Michael Christian, who raced the mare with his wife Siobhan Miller and his brother Brad, Tim and Bronny Porter, Wayne and Vicki Pelchen, Mick and Alise Johnston and Andy Ingersole.

Bred and raised at Longwood, Bella Nipotina was an $80,000 purchase out of the Rosemont Stud draft at the Premier Yearling Sale at Oaklands for Lindsay Park, Andrew Williams and Mt Hallowell Stud.

Bella Nipotina was a superstar for the Ciaron Maher stable - image Grant Courtney

Christian described the Bella Nipotina journey as “a dream come true’’.

“You embark on racing horses and then breeding horses, which we’ve done for a long time now and you don’t ever think you’ll breed and raise and race one that will achieve what she’s achieved,’’ Christian said.

“It’s all a bit surreal to be honest. It’s been incredible and it’s always been all about her, her toughness, her bravery, her durability, her courage, to be able to keep racing like she did for five seasons and then win an Everest as a 7YO, it’s remarkable.

Advertisement

“Her Everest win was mind blowing, really. She drew the outside gate, she sat three wide with no cover and still won. It’s just been an incredible ride and it’s definitely mixed emotions that it’s all coming to an end.’’

Christian conceded the Chairman’s Sale would be an emotional one for he and all of Bella Nipotina’s connections.

“The night is going to be a real celebration of her achievements and it’s going to be all about her and recognising what she’s achieved, it’s going to be a special night for sure, a memorable night,’’ Christian said.

“I just feel so humbled and proud that she earned a reputation of being so tough and uncompromising. That’s what I’m most proud of, that she was never beaten far when she was beaten and that earned her enormous respect from the racing fraternity and we will celebrate all that is Bella Nipotina at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in May.’’

Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch said the enormity of the opportunity breeders now had to purchase a mare like Bella Nipotina could not be underestimated.

“She is one of the most accomplished racehorses in Australian racing history, so it’s a real honour for Inglis to have the opportunity to bring her to market at the Chairman’s Sale,’’ Hutch said.

“Bella Nipotina is the quintessential Australian racehorse, a high-class 2YO who thrived in competition, progressing to become a world-class, uncompromising sprinter with an insatiable will to win.

“On a very practical level, she possesses a series of attributes that would be desirable in any quality racehorse and for that reason alone it is exciting to think what she might be capable of achieving as a broodmare. 

“We are incredibly grateful to the ownership group for their support of Inglis and are excited to share with them what is going to be a special night at Riverside on May 8.’’

Bella Nipotina will be joined by the likes of record-breaking mare I Am Me, Estriella, G1 winner Royal Merchant, G1 placed Semana, G3 winner Honey Girl, Sausedge (the dam of this season’s dual G2 placed 2YO Wiltshire Square, in foal to sire-of-the-moment Wootton Bassett), talented performers Mumbai Muse, Dancing Alone, Enbihaar (dam of top-class filly Too Darn Lizzie), Grinzinger Belle, Sirileo Miss, She Dances, Eagle Nest, Lekvarte, Stakes-winning 2YO Castanya and the dam of this season’s high-class 2YO Field Of Play, amongst many others etc as confirmed entries into the Chairman’s Sale.

Chairman’s entries must close soon so to enter, contact a member of the Inglis bloodstock team or CLICK HERE.

The Chairman’s Sale will be held at Riverside on the evening of Thursday May 8.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Blueblood Import - American-Bred Jillaroo Records First Win
Purchased at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Ciaron Maher, the now 4yo mare Jillaroo (USA) (Curlin) initially started her racing career in the United States but after an Australian debut second at Caulfield in early May, recorded her maiden victory at Doomben.
$1.2million for Mare in Foal to Frankel
There are four mares to be offered at Magic Millions National in foal to Juddmonte Farm’s champion sire Frankel and the first of them Grande Dame (GB) sold for $1.2million to James Bester Bloodstock/Morning Rise Stud.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Oaks
Unbeaten this preparation, Philia will be looking to emulate her half-sister Duais in winning the $1million Group I BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday, but a swarm of up and comers are nipping at her heels, so who are they?
Wootton Bassett 2YOs on the March
Wootton Bassett’s star Northern Hemisphere two year-old Albert Einstein has been ruled out of Royal Ascot with a sprained joint that will require a few weeks off, but the red hot sire added two more talented debut winning juvenile colts at The Curragh overnight.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 4
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
A Passion That Lasts a Lifetime
A passion for pedigrees and thoroughbreds is often one that lasts a lifetime and so it has been for one of the co-breeders of Bravery, who contacted me this week following our earlier and very well read story on current 2YO star Cool Archie.
Frosty Girl impressive on debut
The Chris Waller-trained Frosty Girl made the perfect start to her career when coming from last to land the Asahi Super Dry Plate (1300m) on debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.