No Mirage as Belle Wins Gore Guineas

Up and coming filly Belle Miraaj (NZ) (Iffraaj) claimed her first stakes victory in the $50,000 Listed Liquorland Gore Guineas (1335m) at Gore on Saturday.

Belle Miraaj currently sits sixth on the NZB Filly of the Year Leaderboard on 3.5 points after running third in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas at Canterbury.

Making her debut as a two-year-old a year ago for trainer Gay Robinson, she has placed in all six starts since then with four wins to credit her. Her last two races were both at stakes level where she placed third in both.

“I was absolutely thrilled,” commented trainer Gay Robinson. “Especially when she got upset when things went wrong at the gates and she missed the jump.

“I thought she wasn’t going to be in the finish of it but I was absolutely thrilled with the way she stretched out and came home. She is just so competitive and a determined filly.”

Ridden by Jamie Bates, Belle Miraaj settles on the fence towards the back of the field in the early stages. With the two leader’s five-lengths ahead of the rest of the field, the daughter of Iffraaj made her way through the field and pushed past Curry Up (NZ) (Shinko King).

Sprinting the last 200m, Belle Miraaj raced to victory by one-and-three-quarter lengths with Miss Seton Sands (Gonski) finishing in second place and Curry Up placing in third.

“She is nominated for the Oaks, but will probably go to the Dunedin Guineas in a fortnight and will see how she goes and how she pulls through before making any further decisions,” says Robinson.

The three-year-old filly has now earned $92,375 in prizemoney for owners J Dooley & Gay Robinson.

Belle Mirraj was purchased at the 2012 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale by New Zealand Bloodstock as agent for $14,000 from Haunui Farm.

Bred by Haunui Bloodstock, the daughter of Iffraaj is out of Beach Dance (Carnegie), a winner in Australia. Beach Dance is a half-sister to stakes placegetters Florinda (Lord Ballina) and Getty (Last Tycoon).

Belle Miraaj currently sits sixth on the NZB Filly of the Year Leaderboard on 3.5 points after running third in the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas at Canterbury.

Making her debut as a two-year-old a year ago for trainer Gay Robinson, she has placed in all six starts since then with four wins to credit her. Her last two races were both at stakes level where she placed third in both.

“I was absolutely thrilled,” commented trainer Gay Robinson. “Especially when she got upset when things went wrong at the gates and she missed the jump.

“I thought she wasn’t going to be in the finish of it but I was absolutely thrilled with the way she stretched out and came home. She is just so competitive and a determined filly.”

Ridden by Jamie Bates, Belle Miraaj settles on the fence towards the back of the field in the early stages. With the two leader’s five-lengths ahead of the rest of the field, the daughter of Iffraaj made her way through the field and pushed past Curry Up (NZ) (Shinko King).

Sprinting the last 200m, Belle Miraaj raced to victory by one-and-three-quarter lengths with Miss Seton Sands (Gonski) finishing in second place and Curry Up placing in third.

“She is nominated for the Oaks, but will probably go to the Dunedin Guineas in a fortnight and will see how she goes and how she pulls through before making any further decisions,” says Robinson.

The three-year-old filly has now earned $92,375 in prizemoney for owners J Dooley & Gay Robinson.

Belle Mirraj was purchased at the 2012 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale by New Zealand Bloodstock as agent for $14,000 from Haunui Farm.

Bred by Haunui Bloodstock, the daughter of Iffraaj is out of Beach Dance (Carnegie), a winner in Australia. Beach Dance is a half-sister to stakes placegetters Florinda (Lord Ballina) and Getty (Last Tycoon).