Babylon Berlin returns a winner

11 Nov 2024

Tough mare Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) returned from a spell with an all-the-way win in Saturday's Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa for Ben and Ryan Foote.

 

A lacklustre two-start winter campaign following a wind operation in January had connections questioning the mare's desire to continue racing, but Babylon Berlin put all doubts to rest with a resounding two length win under Vinnie Colgan.

 

The winner of nine of her 30 starts, including six stakes wins, Babylon Berlin also has 14 placings to her name, four of those at Group 1 level. Three of her Gr1 placings have been behind superstar mares Imperatriz and Levante (NZ), putting her in the upper echelon of New Zealand sprinters in recent seasons.

 

Co-trainer Ben Foote confirmed Babylon Berlin will again contest New Zealand's big three sprint races over the summer - the Gr1 Railway Stakes, Gr1 Telegraph and Gr1 BCD Group Sprint. 

 

Bred and retained to race by Scott Williams, Babylon Berlin is the final foal of her dam You Can't Say That (Fusaichi Pegasus), who sadly died when the filly was three months old.

 

You Can't Say That produced six foals to race that were all winners, including triple stakes winner Darci Be Good (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and five time winner Reply Churlish (NZ) (O'Reilly), who has a filly at foot by The Autumn Sun this season at Willow Park.