Bella Vella is a Group 1 winner!

05 May 2020

Willow Park's latest star graduate lead all the way in a hot field to notch her first Group 1 win on Saturday, taking out the Gr1 TAB Classic (formerly Robert Sangster Stakes), over 1200m at Morphettville.

Born at Willow Park in 2014, Bella Vella is the first living foal of the imported mare, Forget The Weather (USA). Forget The Weather is the third mare Glenn Burrows has imported from the USA to produce a winner in her first Australian foal. Bella Vella was sold to Paul Moroney Bloodstock at the 2016 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, for $100,000. She is now a nine time winner of over $634,000!

Bella Vella has quite the story behind her, after failing to conceive in her first season at stud and being sold in an online auction for just $22,500. Purchased by a syndicate and sent to SA trainer, Will Clarken, she has won five of her 10 starts for his stable (unbeaten this preparation), and over $600,000, including $55,000 bonus prize money as the fastest winner of the Moonee Valley 55 second challenges this season. 

Clarken has sent the progressive mare for a spell, with a tilt at the Gr1 Moir Stakes in the spring in mind. We can't wait to watch her add to her record in the spring and keep the fairy tale alive!