Bella Nipotina causes a minor boilover in Giga Kick Stakes
Bella Nipotina wins the Giga Kick Stakes
Trainer Joe Pride didn't need to see the photo to know Bella Nipotina had spoiled the party.
Pride's dynamic duo Think About It and Private Eye had been tipped to fight out the $3 million Giga Kick Stakes (1300m) and looked every chance of doing so at the top of the Rosehill Gardens straight.
But Victorian hoop Craig Williams and a flying Bella Nipotina hadn't read the script.
Private Eye burst clear inside the final furlong before the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained galloper burst through the smallest of gaps to gun him down in the shadows of the post.
"It was a really, really big thrill for her to bob her head in front because I wasn't sure to be honest," Eustace said.
"It was a bit more like Romantic Warrior on Cox Plate Day, I didn't want to go up because I felt for the Hayes.The Giga Kick Stakes goes to Bella Nipotina in a thrilling finish!
The master @CWilliamsJockey delivers a peach for @cmaherracing. pic.twitter.com/IBaLFm17wm
- SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 4, 2023
"But that is a massive thrill, she has been racing so well."
Pride was 'gutted' by the result but knew his fate before the photo was revealed.
"It was a hard watch because I knew he'd got beaten," he said.
"I didn't think he was going to get beaten but I knew he had got beaten when they hit the line.
"It's an awful thing waiting for a photo you know you've lost."
Bella Nipotina was a surprise leader early before Coal Crusher took over and Craig Williams landed in a trailing position.
She had Pride runners all around her at the top of the straight and it looked highly unlikely for much of the straight that the mare would get a run.
Bella Nipotina ($10) produced a sensational turn of late speed to pip Private Eye ($2.70 fav) by a nose with Think About It ($1.90 fav) one and a quarter-lengths away in third.
"She walked in the yard and she just looked amazing today," Williams said.
"Her performance last time I said would warrant that she'd run top four or five in The Everest, that's how good she was and we still only ran third.
"They came here to 1300m and we still draw a wide barrier. I've never ridden the 1300m start before so I rang a really good friend of mine, Rodney Quinn, and asked him what to do.
"And apart from giving me some heads up - I don't want to tell everyone what he told me, he said pray a little bit."
Maher and Eustace had hoped to get Bella Nipotina in The Everest but a deal never eventuated despite the mare putting in a string of strong performances in lead up events.
Bella Nipotina instead finished a fast finishing third in the Group 3 Sydney Stakes on The Everest Day where paved the way for her to earn close to $3.7 million for connections due to a pair of lucrative bonuses.
A $1.25 million bonus was awarded to owners for winning the Sportsbet Sydney Sprint Series and a second $700,000 payday.
I'm so proud of her and so pleased for the ownership group," Eustace said.
"We had a plan if she jumped to go forward, we didn't think there was a lot of speed in the race."
"Craig (Williams) rode her beautifully, she got the split just at the right time, if it was any later she wouldn't have got there."
Think About It had won nine straight races heading into the Giga Kick Stakes including his tough Everest triumph last month with Sam Clipperton
"There is nothing obvious I can offer other than the fact he was beaten by two better horses on the day," he said.
"It seems strange to say but I thought the horse ran terrific."
Private Eye's jockey Nash Rawiller thought the runner up ran his heart out.
Pride confirmed both Think About It and Private Eye will now be sent for spells to begin preparing for the autumn.
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