Quintabelle (NZ) Excels in Winter Cup

Karaka graduate Quintabelle (NZ) (Embellish) marked her sixth birthday with her first stakes success, scoring a dominant victory in the $110,000 Group Three Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday.

Quintabelle was offered by Epona Park in Book 2 of Karaka 2022, where part-owner Robert Dennis bought her for $25,000. Her 26-race career has now produced six wins, four placings and $234,955 in stakes.

The Anna Furlong-trained Quintabelle has shown black-type quality throughout her career, with placings in the Group Three South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), Listed Southland Guineas (1600m) and Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) along with a fourth in the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m). Saturday marked a richly deserved winning breakthrough at that level.

Quintabelle was ridden by apprentice jockey Toni Davies and took up a midfield position in 12th and one off the rail behind a strong pace.

Davies came widest of all into the home straight on Quintabelle and began to chase Bradman (NZ) (Pins), who had kicked forward from third position to take the lead with 500 metres to run.

Quintabelle drew up alongside Bradman at the 200-metre mark and pulled away from him in the closing stages of the race to win by two lengths. Bradman comfortably held second, with the same two-length margin back to a late-finishing Prioress (NZ) (Proisir).

“Third-up today and with a big drop in weight (from 62 kilograms down to 53 kilograms), we thought she was going to be a key player,” Furlong said.

“I thought Toni got her in a nice spot. You can’t bustle her – you need to let her relax into things. She tracked through and then came wide and really let down beautifully.

“I’m thrilled for everyone in the stable. They all work so hard. I’m really appreciative of them and also the owners. There’s a big group of owners in this mare. We’ve been lucky enough to have Robert Dennis give her to us to train, and it’s great to have that support. A lot of the owners are here today and they will be over the moon.”

The Winter Cup was a career highlight for Davies.

“It’s a pretty amazing feeling,” the 25-year-old said. “I was pretty happy with how the race turned out. She relaxed beautifully, even though we got back a bit. I was able to track something into the race, and then she kicked strongly for home. Anna said she goes best third-up, and she was right.

“It’s hard for apprentices to ride in a race like this, let alone win, so I can’t thank Anna and her team enough.”

Quintabelle is building her value as a broodmare prospect, also being a half-sister to the multiple Group Three winner Dionysus (NZ) (Ocean Park) and closely related to the Group One star Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award).

NZB graduates filled the trifecta in Saturday’s Winter Cup.

Runner-up Bradman – who is now a three-time placegetter in this race – was bought for $85,000 from Karaka 2019 and has earned $425,917 from a 69-start, 11-win career.

The third placegetter Prioress, who won the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) in her previous start, was passed in with a $30,000 reserve in Book 2 of Karaka 2020. She has now had 61 starts for seven wins, 21 placings and $310,222 in stakes.

Vendor	Epona Park
Purchaser	Mr RC Dennis (Southland)
Breeding	Embellish – La Quinta
Sale	Lot 909, Karaka 2022 Book 2, $25,000
Breeder	Primadonna Mares Limited
Owner	Barron Family Partnership, Blue Khaki Syndicate (Mgr: Nic Popham), Botting Family Partnership, K R Davidson, R C Dennis, Elder Family Syndicate, J Fallow, Riders On The Storm Syndicate, Robbie's Racers Emily Syndicate & H J Robinson