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| Staff Writer |
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In the unpredictable world of thoroughbred racing, the story of Bella Nipotina stands out as a testament to resilience and unwavering faith. Michael Christian, her breeder and co-owner, along with wife Siobhan and brother Brad, has nurtured this remarkable mare from an uncertain beginning to the cusp of Australian racing's pinnacle event, The Gr.1 Everest. Their journey together embodies the essence of the sport - a blend of careful planning, bold decisions, and the unbreakable bond between humans and their equine partners.
Christian's journey with Bella Nipotina began nearly two decades ago with a mare named Bella Inez. As he recalls, "I was part of a group that bought her grand-dam, Bella Inez, as a yearling and unfortunately, she only had one start race, but she was injured and never raced again."
Despite her short racing career, Bella Inez proved to be a foundation mare for Christian's breeding program. "The first foal out of the mare was Group 2 winner and multiple Group One placed mare called Hallowell Belle. The second foal out of the mare was Group Three winner Fuddle Dee Duddle," Christian explains.
However, tragedy struck when Bella Inez was in foal to Fastnet Rock. "Unfortunately, she got colic and passed away," Christian remembers. "So, this young Star Witness filly, Bella Orfana was left an orphan at about five weeks."
Bella Orfana, whose name aptly means "Beautiful Orphan" in Italian, would become the dam of Bella Nipotina. But her own story was not without challenges. "Her racing career was cut short by a heart issue," Christian explains.
Despite this setback, Christian, along with his wife Siobhan and brother Brad, decided to breed from Bella Orfana. "We decided to pull the pin and breed with her, so we sent her to Pride Of Dubai, and the first foal was Bella Nipotina. She was named in honour of her granddam because Bella Nipotina in Italian means 'beautiful granddaughter'."
Bella Nipotina's journey to the racetrack was far from smooth. Christian recounts a harrowing incident during her yearling preparation, "Unfortunately, she panicked in a truck, thrashed around, and badly cut herself."
The injuries were so severe that Christian feared for her survival. "At that stage, we actually feared that she was going to get through it, but luckily she did."
These early setbacks affected Bella Nipotina's sale price. "She didn't make a lot of money at the yearling sale, mainly because she was banged up from the truck. We just couldn't put the work into her to present her the way we would have liked," Christian recounted.
Despite her rough start, Bella Nipotina caught the eye of leading trainer David Hayes. Christian recalls, "David Hayes bought her on spec and asked if we would like to stay involved.” Christian retained a 50% in conjunction with his wife and brother.
Hayes saw potential in the young filly, "We got a call five years ago from David, saying, I think this horse is coming along really nicely. We're going to keep going and see if we might run in one of the early two-year-old races."
Bella Nipotina's rise to stardom was not meteoric, but rather a steady climb. Christian remembers her early racing days, "She had nine starts as a two-year-old without winning but won the Group 3 Quezette Stakes at Caulfield as an early 3YO.”
The filly showed promise, with near misses in valuable races. "Prime Star wore down Bella Nipotina inside the final 100 meters to win the A$2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) at Warwick Farm by the narrowest of margins.”
As Bella Nipotina matured, she moved to the stable of Ciaron Maher. This change proved to be a turning point in her career. Christian notes, "She seems to have a lot of talent, but was always a bit of a bridesmaid. But as time has gone on, she's kept improving."
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Bella Nipotina's consistent performances at the highest level have now earned her a coveted spot in the A$20 million feature race, Australia's richest horse race. Christian's excitement is palpable, "It's very exciting for us all. She ran on the fifth of October in the Premier States in Sydney. So, we needed to get through that run. And hopefully, all things going well, she will line up in The Gr.1 Everest."
For Christian and his family, following Bella Nipotina's career has become a labour of love. "We have been going to watch her race, and she's raced in pretty much every state of Australia. We said 18 months ago that we wanted to be there for her last race, and we’re still going!"
This dedication has led to some unusual choices. Christian explains, "We always go to Derby Day. But of course, you know, she was running in that Giga Kick Stakes at Rosehill. So, we went to watch her at Rosehill in the Giga Kick Stakes, and we watched the Derby on the big screen there. That was weird."
Christian's success with Bella Nipotina is no accident. It's the result of a carefully considered breeding philosophy. He explains, "There are so many variables to take account of and you need a lot of luck along the way."
Christian's philosophy is rooted in a holistic approach to breeding. He considers three main factors: physical matching, commerciality, and pedigree. "The three things I look at are all important in the decision-making process - physical matching, commerciality, and pedigree," he explains.
His approach combines pedigree analysis with physical matching. "I do take account of pedigree but the key determinant for me is to match physical types. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you've got the best-bred horse in the world if it's not a nice physical type."
The emphasis on physical matching stems from Christian's belief that a horse's conformation is crucial to its success on the track. He looks for stallions that complement his mares physically, aiming to produce offspring with balanced and athletic builds.
Commerciality is another key consideration that ensures that his breeding program remains sustainable.
Christian's philosophy also involves building and maintaining families of horses. He aims to retain fillies from successful families, allowing him to continue developing and improving his bloodlines over generations. This long-term approach has been key to his success with both Bella Nipotina and Australasia’s Champion 3YO Filly, In Secret.
As the 7YO daughter of Pride Of Dubai prepares to take her place at the starting gates of Royal Randwick on the Everest Day, the race itself has been elevated to Group One status, a significant milestone. This upgrade formally recognises The Everest as one of the premier events in Australian and global thoroughbred racing. The upgrade comes after years of debate within the Australian racing industry.
Feature event which began with a purse of A$15 million, has since increased its prize money to a staggering A$20 million, making it not only the richest turf race in the world but also a true test of sprinting excellence. For a mare like Bella Nipotina, a win or even a place in the Gr.1 Everest would significantly boost her future value as a broodmare.
A crucial decision in mid-2023 not to retire Bella Nipotina has proven to be a masterstroke, yielding her owners an additional A$6.8 million in prize money and paving the way for her shot at The Everest.
Michael Christian reflects on this pivotal moment, "It was probably June last year when the ownership group sat down with Ciaron and his team to discuss Bella’s future. We all agreed that her form definitely warranted racing on for another 12 months.”
At that juncture, the daughter of Coolmore's Pride Of Dubai had raced 38 times for six wins and the decision to continue racing has paid off handsomely, with Bella Nipotina capping off last season with a Group One victory in the Tattersall's Tiara.
Bella Nipotina has been secured by TAB for their slot. This marks trainer Ciaron Maher's first runner in the prestigious event. Bella Nipotina's recent second-place finish in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes further underscores her readiness for The Gr. 1 Everest challenge. With the mare in career-best form at the start of her seven-year-old season, her journey to the starting gates of the Gr.1 Everest stands as a testament to the faith and perseverance of her connections.