Bella Gioia
Kenton Wright Race Images
Shaune Ritchie believes Bella Gioia can be a serious player against the best of her age group during her next preparation.
The Cambridge trainer produced the daughter of Swiss Ace for a first-up win in the hands of the promising apprentice Sam Weatherley in the Safewise 1200 at Te Rapa and she will head for another break after Saturday's effort.
"She was impressive and on that 1600 metres will hold no fears for her," Ritchie said.
"I won't be considering the Ryder Stakes, she's better than a mudder and she'll have a couple or three weeks off now – if we don't do that it could hurt her in the spring.
"She's quite an exciting prospect for those better three-year-old fillies' races."
Bella Gioia's one previous race day appearance had resulted in a fifth placing at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
"That was on a hard track so we tipped her out and she had trialled well earlier this month," Ritchie said.
"My wife Alison and I popped out on Friday to walk the track and we felt the fence was slower so I indicated to Sam that I didn't want her to lead," Ritchie said.
Bella Gioia settled off the pace and she swept down the outside to comfortably beat the debutant Impulsive Habit, who does have the Listed Ryder Stakes on his winter programme, and Cortado was third.
"She was three wide, but she was in the better part of the track," Ritchie said. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Cambridge trainer produced the daughter of Swiss Ace for a first-up win in the hands of the promising apprentice Sam Weatherley in the Safewise 1200 at Te Rapa and she will head for another break after Saturday's effort.
"She was impressive and on that 1600 metres will hold no fears for her," Ritchie said.
"I won't be considering the Ryder Stakes, she's better than a mudder and she'll have a couple or three weeks off now – if we don't do that it could hurt her in the spring.
"She's quite an exciting prospect for those better three-year-old fillies' races."
Bella Gioia's one previous race day appearance had resulted in a fifth placing at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
"That was on a hard track so we tipped her out and she had trialled well earlier this month," Ritchie said.
"My wife Alison and I popped out on Friday to walk the track and we felt the fence was slower so I indicated to Sam that I didn't want her to lead," Ritchie said.
Bella Gioia settled off the pace and she swept down the outside to comfortably beat the debutant Impulsive Habit, who does have the Listed Ryder Stakes on his winter programme, and Cortado was third.
"She was three wide, but she was in the better part of the track," Ritchie said. – NZ Racing Desk.
