Grinzinger Belle (NZ) (Shamexpress) will remain in the care of Danny O’Brien and be set for the Gr.1 Tatts Tiarra (1400m) after fetching A$1.45 million at last week’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
Having been in hot demand, The daughter of Shamexpress was purchased on behalf of Yulong and has now returned to O’Brien’s Flemington stables as she builds up to the 1400-metre contest on June 28.
“She is in the Stradbroke, but we are probably just looking at the mares race, she does race very well fresh so most likely we will wait for the Tatts Tiarra,” O’Brien explained.
“She is still a little way away, but she would have a trial before she left, I would say.
“She has a good record around that 1400-1600-metre range, especially against the mares and if we could strike a wet track up there that also gives her a big edge.”
The sale was a big result for sole owner John Wheeler, who paid $32,000 for the filly at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 sale from breeders Windsor Park Stud.
Grinzinger Belle, who is a $31 chance with Sportsbet, has been freshened since her seventh placing in the Gr.1 Queen of the Turf (1600m) on April 12 and before that was a dominant winner of the Gr.2 Sunline Stakes (1600m).
The four-year-old will be joined in Brisbane by Brave Design (Brave Smash), who will run in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and Hurry Curry (NZ) (Ocean Park), who plans to tackle the Gr.3 The Roses (2000m) and the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m).
Politely Dun (Dundeel) will run over 2000m at Flemington on Saturday, with the option left open to push onto the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) on May 31.