Belle Cheval in Group 1 Down Under

SYDNEY – Trainer Mark Walker has watched in awe at what boom filly Ohope Wins has been able to achieve in New Zealand in 2026, but he is not conceding the A$750,000 (S$675,000) Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on March 28 to her just yet.

The Te Akau Racing and former four-time Singapore champion trainer will saddle Belle Cheval in the 2,000-metre Group 1 event.

After back-to-back Group 3 victories in the Almanzor Trophy (1,200m) and the Uncle Remus Stakes (1,400m) earlier in the year, the daughter of Savabeel last ran in the Listed NZB Kiwi (1,500m), in which she was narrowly beaten into second by the Stephen Marsh-trained Well Written at Ellerslie on March 7.

The three-year-old filly, who has won thrice and placed thrice from six starts, will be at her first test over 2,000m when she makes her Australian debut in Sydney.

While Walker concedes that Ohope Wins – now trained by Chris Waller – is the testing material, he is happy to be taking her on after she drops back in trip from her last-start win in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2,400m) at Ellerslie on Feb 21.

Formerly trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, the daughter of Ocean Park is undefeated at stakes level.

Before her third win on the trot in the New Zealand Oaks, the three-year-old filly owned by Yulong Investments also landed the Group 2 Fillies Classic (2,100m) and Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2,000m) previously.

“We know that horse really well from New Zealand and she is coming back from 2,400m to 2,000m, I’d rather be probably going 1,500m to 2,000m,” said Walker.

“But she has got very good New Zealand form, that’s for sure.

“Until you go to Australia, you don’t know how the New Zealand form is going to measure up, but Belle Cheval’s run in the NZB Kiwi was really good.

“She is at 2,000m first time, but she’s by Savabeel and most of them get that sort of distance.

“You don’t know until you try but at least as a three-year-old, she should be able to manage it.”

Belle Cheval and Ohope Wins are among 15 entries for the Vinery Stud Stakes.

It is one of two Group 1 races at Rosehill on March 28, with the other highlight being the A$1.5 million Tancred Stakes (2,400m), which counts Dubai Honour, Aeliana, Sir Delius, Vauban and imported Group 1 winner Barnavara among 16 entries.

The Vinery Stud Stakes will be just the seventh start for Belle Cheval, who also finished third behind Well Written at her first attempt in a Group 1 feature, the New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1,600m) at Riccarton Park on Nov 8, 2025.

Although the Vinery Stud Stakes will be the final start in her campaign, it will not be the last time racing fans see her in Australia in 2026.

“She just has the one run then goes down to our Melbourne stable for three or four days, and then we’ll send out her out for a spell,” said Walker, who has an Australian base at Cranbourne.

“She’ll spell down on the Mornington Peninsula and then we’ll have her back for spring racing in Melbourne.”

Walker has identified the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1,400m) at Caulfield on Sept 19, and the Toorak Handicap (1,600m) at the same racecourse on Oct 10 as possible early Group 1 targets for Belle Cheval in spring. RACING AND SPORTS