Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday May 18

The Nick Olive-trained Sizzling Belle will be given her chance to credit first season stallion Sizzling with his first stakes-winner in Saturday’s Listed Bill Carter Stakes (1200m) at Doomben.

On the go since winning a maiden at Wagga Wagga on January 12, Sizzling Belle was a luckless eighth in last Saturday’s Group II Champagne Classic won by Zousain.

The daughter of Sizzling (pictured ) looked to have plenty to offer when she was bailed up behind tiring runners.

Advertisement

That was her first start since finishing just over four lengths behind the winner Estijaab when unplaced in the Golden Slipper.


A brave second in the Group III Black Opal Stakes in Canberra, Sizzling Belle was $50,000 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale purchase for her trainer from the Element Hill draft.

She is the third winner from stakes-placed Magic Albert mare Greenmount Belle who is a distant relative to a former ‘Best On Breeding’, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt Santos.

The connection comes through Santos’s great granddam Lady Upstage (GB) who is the dam of the exceptionally gifted Shaftsbury Avenue.

Lady Upstage (GB) is a half-sister to Khalekan (GB) who placed in the Dewhurst Stakes and Observer Gold Cup at two before winning the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood and was runner-up in the Irish St Leger.

Imported to Australia by the champion jockey Des Lake, Khalekan (GB) won the 1968 STC HE Tancred Cup.

But many years before Lady Upstage (GB) and Khalekan (GB) found their way to Australia, the monumentally successful breeder, Stanley Wooten had imported their half-sister named Widden.

A daughter of the Epsom Derby winner Nimbus, Widden was lightly raced but she placed in the Group III Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket.

Widden did not leave a thriving dynasty. All of her seven foals made it to the track and four were winners.

One of them was the Randwick winner Louicette who had just two winners from six named foals.

The best of them was the stakes-placed Vain mare Delfina who is the dam of the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate runner-up Isn’t She Gorgeous (Biscay).

Louicette’s half-sister Noonabelle (Red Anchor) was unraced although she did leave four winners from her five to race including Sizzling Belle’s dam Greenmount Belle.

Purchased for a mere $10,000 by Prime Thoroughbred’s Joe O’Neil, Greenmount Belle proved a more than useful performer in Tasmania winning eight races and was twice stakes-placed.

Sent to the 2010 Magic Millions Broodmare Sale, Greenmount Belle was purchased by Glenn Burroughs for $30,000.

The daughter of Magic Albert has Love Conquers All colt heading to the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.

He cost just $1,000 as a weanling so the consignors Waylon J Stud will be cheering as loudly as Sizzling Belle’s connections on Saturday.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 Tatts Tiara
With Royal Ascot done and dusted for another year, let's turn our attention to the final G1 of the Australian racing season as some very expensive mares seek to land that elusive G1 and three runners will carry the Yulong colours!
Red Right Out Wins MM Queensland Qualifier
The 2026 Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping will feature the third annual Queensland Off-The-Track Cup (QOTT) final on Sunday, 11 January 2026 at Doug Jennings Park on the Gold Coast. 
$190,000 Per Incanto Colt Heads Vibrant Weanling Sale
The  2025 National Weanling Sale saw its first dual-code weanling session in play at Karaka, with a total aggregate of $2,410,000 outlaid across 84 lots by a strong domestic buying bench plus international support from Australia, Hong Kong and China.
Promising 2YOs for Pike
Tony Pike found it difficult to split his juvenile charges the last time they took each other on and it’s the same story at Ruakaka.
Vinery Stud Announce Adam White as Interim Manager
From the 1st of July, Vinery Stud is pleased to announce the appointment of Adam White as Interim General Manager, following the resignation of Peter Orton. A dedicated and long-standing member of the Vinery team, Adam brings a wealth of experience and an in-depth understanding of both the business and the industry to this pivotal role.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Randwick
Trial action was at Randwick on Friday and there were six heats for juveniles that included some interesting unraced youngsters highlighted by the full brother to a promising young sire, a well bred son of Farnan and an Extreme Choice filly.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 27
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Flying Artie 2YO Wins by Four!
Blue Gum Farm have an appealing roster of three sires for this spring and while it’s all in front of Sejardan and Oxley Road, proven favourite Flying Artie remains unbeatable value and the G1 sire produced a four length 2YO winner on Thursday.
National Online Breeding Stock Sale online now
The National Online Breeding Stock Sale has launched on Gavelhouse Plus with bidding open on the 87 Lots sale which is set to end from 7pm on Wednesday 9th July.
Cambridge Stud to Sell Entire Draft at Karaka 2026
Leading thoroughbred nursery Cambridge Stud have committed their full support for NZB’s 2026 National Yearling Sales Series, with the announcement they will be selling 100% of their yearling stock at Karaka.