A “VERY NICE” RESULT AT BATHURST
MONDAY, December 21, 2020: BRAD Widdup gave Gerry Harvey a “very nice” result when he won with his first starter for the leviathan owner and breeder at Bathurst today.
Swiss Ace filly Queen Bellissimo ($2.20 favourite) made a successful debut, easily disposing of her rivals in the Maiden Handicap (1100m).
In Italian, Bellissimo means very beautiful or very nice, and the daughter of four-times Victorian winner Princess Zanzibar was certainly that as she trounced her own sex.
With Blake Spriggs aboard, Queen Bellissimo bounced out and led, then romped home by more than three lengths from Zoo Station ($15) and Ale Magic ($31).
Widdup naturally was pleased to make such a quick and rewarding beginning to an association with Harvey, who has one of the world’s largest thoroughbred portfolios.
“I bought a So You Think filly (a sister to 2018 Rosehill Guineas winner D’Argento) for $375,000 for BK Racing from Gerry’s Baramul Stud in the Hunter Valley at the Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast in January,” Widdup said on his way home from Bathurst this evening.
“He gave me this nice filly (Queen Bellissimo) to train as a result.
“I have had her for about three months and she had come on really well since winning a Kembla Grange trial earlier in the month.
“I took her to Bathurst as it looked a nice race against her own sex to kick off her career.”
Widdup’s victory in the second race was a precursor to hopefully further success later in the day with Soldier’s Desire and Showtime Lady, but that was snuffed out when the last four races were called off by RacingNSW stewards after concerns were aired when a number of horses slipped on the home turn in the third race in spite of a “Good 4” rating.
“It was disappointing because we had another couple of chances to make it a really good day,” Widdup said.
The leading Hawkesbury trainer clinched his 10th win for the season, but isn’t certain he will seek to add to that at Warwick Farm on Wednesday with Adelaide’s Light.
The three-year-old made an excellent debut when narrowly beaten by another Hawkesbury runner Duais at Newcastle on December 1.
That filly confirmed the merit of the form when she jumped to a set weights Class 5 at Kembla Grange on December 12 and was narrowly beaten in a heat of the Summer Provincial Series, qualifying for the $150,000 Final (1600m) at Wyong on January 2.