Five-time Group I winning mare, iron horse, and crowd favourite, Bella Nipotina has been retired, the second highest earning Australian horse of all time, to be sold at auction in May.
Bella Nipotina after her Everest win. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au
Her trainer Ciaron Maher announced the retirement in a statement on Tuesday calling her the “the most consistent and toughest racehorse I’ve ever had the pleasure to train.”
She retires with a record of 57 starts, 11 wins, 26 placings and $22,807,625. A prizemoney figure bettered only by Winx in this part of the world.
The daughter of Pride Of Dubai was a late bloomer, having her first 17 starts for the Lindsay Park training team, winning just once, the Group III Quezette Stakes.
Her first Group One win came as a five-year-old in the Manikato Stakes, her next as a six-year-old in a wonderful Queensland winter campaign, winning the Doomben 10,000 followed by the Tattersall’s Tiara.
Her crowning achievement however came as a seven-year-old when prevailing in the $20million Group I The Everest last year after having the toughest run of them all from the outside gate.
An $80,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Lindsay Park Racing / Andrew Williams Bloodstock / Mt Hallowell Stud from the Rosemont stud draft, Bella Nipotina was bred by Michael Christian and partners at Longwood Thoroughbred Farm who retain a share in her ownership.
Bella Nipotina is the best of two winners from Bella Orfana, a placed sibling by Star Witness to Group winners Hallowell Belle and Fuddle Dee Duddle (dam of Group III winner Brereton) from the family of Group I Caulfield Guineas winner In Top Swing.
Her appearance in the sale ring is now set to be one of the most anticipated events in the bloodstock world this year.
Bella Nipotina’s stakes performance:
1st 2024 The TAB Everest (Gr.1); 2024 Tattersall's Tiara (Gr.1); 2024 Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 (Gr.1); 2022 Ladbrokes Manikato Stks (Gr.1); 2022 Tab Sapphire Stakes (Gr.2); 2021 How Now Stakes (Gr.3); 2020 Beck Probuild Quezette Stakes (Gr.3); 2022 Long Fine Hospitality Carlyon (LR);
2nd 2024 The Star Stradbroke Hcp (Gr.1); 2024 Kingsford Smith Cup (Gr.1); 2024 James Squire T J Smith Stakes (Gr.1); 2023 3 Point Motors William Reid (Gr.1); 2022 Moir Stakes (Gr.1); 2021 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (Gr.1); 2024 Southern Cross Group Concorde Stakes (Gr.3); 2020 Pfd Food Serv. Red Anchor Stks (Gr.3); 2021 Ladbrokes Chautauqua Stakes (LR); 2020 Inglis Millennium (RL); 2019 Inglis Banner 2yo (RL);
3rd 2024 Darley Champions Sprint (Gr.1); 2023 Black Caviar Lightning (Gr.1); 2021 Darley Sprint Classic (Gr.1); 2024 Precise Air Premiere Stakes (Gr.2); 2023 Precise Air Premiere Stakes (Gr.2); 2021 Schillaci Stakes (Gr.2); 2023 Feel New Sydney Stakes (Gr.3); 2023 Southern Cross Group Concorde Stakes (Gr.3); 2021 W.J. Healy Stakes (Gr.3); 2020 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (Gr.3); 2021 Irresistible Pools Darby Munro (LR); 2021 Incognitus Stakes (LR);
