Prima Bella thrived in the fast tempo of the Ranvet Handicap (1000m), finishing with impressive power to secure the win.
As one of the most improved horses currently in training, Prima Bella is experiencing a highly successful preparation, marking her third victory in five starts this winter.
“Prima Bella’s airborne,” Smith enthused. “When you get a mare in form, you have to keep them going. Look at Paul Cave’s mare The Mona Lisa, she keeps winning too. My mare has never been going better and I will have to look at a stakes race now because she is racing so well.”
Prima Bella ($7), who benefited from a light impost of 52.5kg due to apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald’s 3kg claim, finished strongly to beat Amazing Eagle ($3.40 favourite) by just over a length. Beast Mode ($5.50), the horse that led early, held on for third.
The Randwick track was upgraded to a Good 4 during the meeting, yet Prima Bella’s time of 56.57 seconds was still remarkably fast for this stage of the year.
Smith indicated that Prima Bella’s next start would likely be at Randwick in two weeks for a race such as the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1100m).
“I’ve got Idle Flyer resuming that day but I might split the mares up and run her in the Show County Quality (Group 3 $250,000, 1200m),” Smith said. “Prima Bella deserves her chance in a better class of race as she is in such good form and she handles wet or dry tracks.”
Idle Flyer, who won the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes and the Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes to conclude her autumn campaign, has undergone two barrier trials to prepare for her return, including a sixth place behind Matcha Latte at Rosehill on Friday.
Headwall, Smith’s exciting sprinter, also moved closer to a racing comeback after an eye-catching third in Apocalyptic’s heat at Rosehill.
In other news, New Zealand trainer Lauren Brennan had her first runner at Royal Randwick and celebrated success with I Park in the MyPlates Handicap (2400m).
I Park’s win was his third from 21 starts, earning him $82,500 for his Sydney Saturday victory, a sum greater than he had earned in his previous 20 starts.
“Our plan was to bring I Park to Sydney over winter and look for these 2400m races,” Brennan stated. “He’s got the win and I think we might take him home now.”
Ridden by Tim Clark, I Park ($12) fought hard under pressure to defeat Le Troisir ($8.80) by a long head, with Elle Hudson ($4.40 equal favourite) finishing just over a length behind in third.
Golden Century, which had been backed into equal favouritism at $4.40, led for home but faded to finish at the rear of the field.
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