Superb Comeback Win For Bonneval (NZ)

$150,000 Premier Sale purchase Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) was a standout three-year-old filly on both sides of the Tasman last season, and at Moonee Valley on Saturday she picked up right where she had left off.

The exceptional Cambridge galloper picked up her fifth straight win, all at Group level, when she won the A$250,000 Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m).

Taking a first step towards a Caulfield Cup bid, Bonneval was expected to need the resuming run on Saturday and find one or two of her rivals too quick over the distance of 1600 metres. But with Damian Lane in the saddle she proved otherwise, storming to victory by a neck over Abbey Marie (Redoute’s Choice) with the rest of the field more than four lengths away.

“Bonneval is a good filly,” said Murray Baker, who trains her in partnership with Andrew Forsman. “She's probably fitter than I thought she was. It's very hard to judge them when you come from New Zealand. It's been the wettest winter for 40 years and we didn't quite know where she was.

“We thought if she could be running on for fifth or sixth we'll be happy. But she's got that electric sprint at the finish.”

The win was Bonneval’s sixth in her nine-start career. It was the perfect follow-up to her late-summer and autumn three-year-old campaign, in which she strung together wins in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic, Group 3 Lowland Stakes, Group 1 New Zealand Oaks and Group 1 Australian Oaks. The winner of the 2016-17 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, Bonneval has now won more than $1.15 million in prizemoney.

Bonneval was bred by Peter Newsom, Tony Wales and Mac Whiteman’s City Bloodstock Ltd. She is out of the Zabeel mare Imposingly, who is also the dam of Group winners Imposing Lass (NZ) (Makfi), Full of Spirit (Flying Spur) and Lady Cumquat (Duke of Marmalade).

Offered by Westbury Stud at the 2015 Premier Sale, Bonneval was bought for $150,000 by Baker Racing.