Thoroughbreds are taking centre stage this week at the 2024 Ekka in Brisbane and the led classes were dominated by a very interesting mare.
Six year-old Bon Hoffa mare Bon’s a Pearla was a more than useful racehorse winning the Group II MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude when trained by Kevin Corstens and she was also third in the Group I VRC Australian Guineas behind quality colts Hitotsu and Lightsabre, who are both now standing at stud.
Bred and raced by Victorian owner / breeder and syndicator Ken King, Bon’s a Pearla was subsequently sold off her top class three year-old performances to Hong Kong based owners and continued her career in the stable of David Hayes and then with PC Ng.
Bon’s a Pearla didn’t quite measure up to stakes class in Hong Kong, but she did win twice at Happy Valley earlier this year before earning a ticket home to retirement which has led her into the show ring in Brisbane this week.
Prepared and shown by well known Queensland off the track re-trainer Amy Taylor, Bon’s a Pearla won her led mare class, champion led mare and then finally Supreme Champion Led Thoroughbred with the guest judge of thoroughbreds at this year’s show being leading Sydney trainer Adrian Bott.