Promising stayer the Belle of the Ball at Wanganui

La Flora Belle heads to the Wanganui winning post as she takes out the Listed Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup (2040m) Photo: Race Images – Peter Rubery

Progressive staying mare La Flora Belle set the scene for further success over the summer months with a determined effort to take out the Listed Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup (2040m) on Saturday.

The Mark Walker-trained five-year-old had picked up her first career victory back in February and added a second before being set aside for a decent winter break.

Off the back of her third victory two starts ago and a last start second in the Waipukurau Cup (1600m), Walker stepped the daughter of Iffraaj up to stakes company for the first time on Saturday and she delivered in fine style, courtesy of a copybook ride from stable apprentice Joe Kamaruddin.

Kamaruddin provided La Flora Belle with the run of the race as he tracked the speed on the fence before angling her into the clear early in the run home.

Despite a few wayward strides, the mare kept finding to decisively defeat Charms Star and Llanacord and record her first stakes success.

“She has been a while in the making this mare but that is the beauty of Marie Leicester, who bred her and part-owns her, in that she is just so patient and gives her horses the time to come to it when they are ready,” Walker said.

“We’ve stepped her up gradually and this was her first go at this level and she has acquitted herself with honours.

“It was also a gun ride by Joe as he had her beautifully placed and worked into it at just the right time.

“He has really matured with his riding of late and this was a good example of that.”

Walker will now look at another potential black-type target with the mare, although he still has some doubts about her maturity to cope with the longer distances of some of the opportunities coming up over the summer.

“We found out today that she can definitely handle the 2000m, but there aren’t many handicap races run at stakes level over the summer around that distance,” he said.

“We will take a look at the calendar with a race like the Manawatu Cup (Gr.3, 2300m) in December an option.

“That will tell us whether she can cope with that extra distance and if she can’t then we have the option of easing off a little and looking at a race like the Kaimai Stakes (Listed, 2000m) on her home track in February as another option.”

Out of Leicester’s Stravinsky mare Tsarina Belle, a member of the illustrious Belle family, La Flora Belle was born and raised at Haunui Farm and has now won four of her 15 starts.

She comes from an extended family that includes dual New Zealand Horse Of the Year, Melody Belle who won 19 races, with 14 of those at Group One level.

La Flora Belle is owned by Marie Leicester, Maryanne Robertson, Catheryne Roselli, Louise Beard, Angela Finucane, Jackie Morgan, Martin Marshall, and Heather Mabin.

“I thought she won very well today and the jockey rode her well and it’s a very pleasing result,” Leicester said.

“She is a big, big, mare and just taken time to strengthen into the size of her frame. But, she seems to be there now.

“She was ready to go when she saw the gap and being such a big girl just takes time to wind up.

“I was thrilled for my daughter, Maryanne, because she was here last night in Auckland for her son’s work farewell party. She left here at 5 a.m. to get a flight home to Hawkes Bay and then drove to Wanganui for the race.

“I race half the horse and Maryanne and her friends formed a syndicate for the other half, and some of them were also at the races.

“Her mother was a very good horse, Tsarina Belle, and one of the most beautiful horses I’ve ever bred, but unfortunately she bled. She was absolutely gorgeous and La Flora Belle has furnished into a beautiful mare too.

“The family has been producing a few winners recently, with Divici Belle, Darci La Bella, Inca Belle, and of course Anamoe goes back to the Belle family.

“I’ve been very lucky to have inherited the family from my parents (James & Annie Sarten), who did their first mating in 1937 to Foxbridge. It’s been a wonderful family and allowed us to meet so many great people over the years.”

- NZ Racing Desk