She Loves a Fight - Probabeel Off The Canvas Again

Mark Smith - Saturday February 12

Punters that took the short odd on Probabeel went straight to the bar after the star New Zealander found a way to win Saturday’s $200,000 Group III Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes at Caulfield.

Here she comes (image Grant Courtney)

Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s money-making daughter of Savabeel looked in all sought of trouble when well back on the turn. As she has done 12 times previously, Probabeel climbed off the canvas to defeat Tom Dabernig’s Tavistock mare Flying Mascot by a short-half-head with the Toronado (IRE) mare Mariamia a short-head back in third.

Trained by Jamie Richards, Probabeel was making her first start since finishing fifth in the Cox Plate last October.

It was the tenth stakes win for the 4-time Group 1 winner advancing her record to 13wins and eight seconds from 29 starts with earnings of $4,358,978.

Stable rep Brad Taylor broke the good news to Richards who is back in New Zealand.

“I just spoke to Jamie on the phone. I said, you probably don’t want to watch that one again, but at least she’s got the job done so we’ll push on,” Taylor said.

“It was a terrific effort. She usually comes off the bridle a little bit but not like she did today. She’s got a real will to wins, and you watch the last 50,she puts her head out and get the job done.

Is Brett Prebble smiling? (image Grant Courtney)

“She’s a fantastic mare now and a big congratulations to Cambridge Stud - great supporters of our industry here and in New Zealand.

“She’s just a mare that turns up every campaign and credit to Jamie.

“She’ll head to the Futurity now and then into the All-Star Mile and, as Jamie said, hopefully it doesn’t rain on grand final day.”

Brett Prebble praised the mare’s courage.

“She just hit a flat patch and was spinning her wheels a bit,” Prebble said.

“We were up in a more forward position to what she’d normally be. “I felt the pace wasn’t that quick, but they dropped the hammer before the turn and really made a bit of a sprint home and that’s where she hit that flat patch.

“Then her stamina and her class kicked in late. It was a good feeling.

A good day for NZ bred mares at Caulfield (image Grant Courtney)

“It’s always hard carrying big weight and she’s a little bit older, too. Her determination and her ability, she’s always a pleasure to ride and I’m lucky to have the opportunity.”

Probabeel was purchased by David Ellis for $380,000 out of the Waikato Stud draft at the 2018 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.

She is the only foal of the stakes-placed Pins mare Far Fetched who died at the age of seven in 2017.

Far Fetched was a three-quarter sister to Group II MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude and Group III Manfred Stakes winner Legless Veuve and the Group III MRC Mannerism Stakes winner and Group 1 WRC Telegraph Hcp runner-up Tootsie.

Advertisment

Race Result - Lamaro's Bellmaine Stakes Gr3 1200m

Caulfield Track: Good(3) Time: 1:09.34
1
Probabeel
- 5m Savabeel (AUS) x Far Fetched (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: B Prebble 60
2
0.1
Flying Mascot
- 4m Tavistock (NZ) x Lucky Mascot (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Tom Dabernig Rdr: B Mc Dougall 58
3
0.2
Mariamia
- 5m Toronado (IRE) x Quinta Lago (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Shane Stockdale Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 56
4
1.7
Marboosha
- 4m Dream Ahead (USA) x Boomex (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Jye McNeil 58
5
2.9
Kahma Lass
- 4m Darci Brahma (NZ) x Distinctive Lass (AUS) (Orientate (USA))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: M J Dee 57
6
4.4
What A Smasher
- 6m Swiss Ace (AUS) x Fortelo (AUS) (Armidale (AUS))
Tnr: A W Noonan Rdr: J Noonan 56
7
5.4
Kenyan Wonder
- 6m Zoustar (AUS) x Msongari (AUS) (Show A Heart (AUS))
Tnr: Ryan Balfour Rdr: Jamie Kah 56
More Reading...
NZ Draws First Blood with Probabeel in the Futurity Stakes
 The $500,000 Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) turned into a battle of the star mares with New Zealand’s Probabeel defeating the Western Australian Arcadia Queen.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Probabeel Earns Second Win at the Elite Level in Epsom Handicap
Probabeel and Funstar are just about on first name terms having fought out several stirring duals but the New Zealander has had the wood on Funstar of late and it was the case again in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.