26 Dec 2021Burgundy filly Belle En Rouge added the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic to an outstanding run of form through the early stages of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series at Ellerslie today for Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards.
Belle En Rouge’s heroics have brought special satisfaction for Richards and the Te Akau team, with the Burgundy filly being not only raced by the Te Akau Beautiful In Red Racing Partnership, but also bred by David Ellis and Karyn Fenton-Ellis.
A creditable third placegetter in the Gr.3 Soliloquy Stakes in October and Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas in November, Belle En Rouge has gone to a new level in recent weeks with back-to-back black-type successes in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes and the Eight Carat Classic.
Sent out as a $2.20 favourite on Sunday, Belle En Rouge enjoyed a cosy run just behind the front-running Lady Koval before taking command at the turn.
Jockey Opie Bosson drove her clear down the straight, and she put herself out of reach of strong-finishing longshots The High Priestess and Princess Lowry to win by three-quarters of a length.
Belle En Rouge has now had seven starts for three wins and three placings, earning more than $158,000 in stakes and moving into a clear lead in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series with 19 points. Stablemate The Perfect Pink, who won last month’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton, is in second place with 12 points.
“She was given a lovely ride by Opie, who summed it up perfectly,” Richards said. “There was no tempo down the back, and he was able to get her up into the right spot.
“She’s just a good, genuine, honest filly. She can be a bit hard to get a line on around the stables, but she turns up when it matters.
“She’s been busy – going down to Riccarton, then through to Palmy and now up to Ellerslie today, and she’s done a wonderful job. We’ll look after her and she probably won’t run again for a month or so now.
“She was bred by David and Karyn, and it’s great to pick up a Group Two win with a homebred filly.”
Belle En Rouge’s next target is likely to be another special race for the stable – the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic at Te Rapa on February 12. - NZ Racing Desk