3 minute read
The final piece of The Quokka puzzle is Wild Belle who brings winning form.
All slots are now filled for the $5 Million The Quokka which has come up quickly and takes place this Saturday at Ascot.
Luke Fernie's four-year-old mare Wild Belle takes her place in the field and brings strong form into the race, winning first-up in the Rock Magic Stakes (1000m) at Ascot and running to a new career peak of 108 on the Racing And Sports scale.
That matched her run prior to a spell when also victorious, notably over 1200m in the Listed Miss Andretti Stakes at Pinjarra.
Being able to run to her peak first up, already having run a new peak before a spell bodes well for further improvement this preparation, and if that's the case, she should be competitive in what looks a very strong race.
In her Rock Magic win, Wild Belle comfortably beat fellow The Quokka runner Petula and she arguably has more improvement to come than the majority of her rivals given she's only had the one run under her belt.
Wild Belle always showed promise, sent for a spell after one poor run as a two-year-old before trialling the house down leading into her three-year-old season and winning by a dominant 6.8 lengths (with a further 3.2 lengths to third) at Northam.
She'd win again at Ascot before placing in the Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) behind the smart My Bella Mae.
Returning in the Summer, she again won dominantly fresh before an Eastern state campaign, struggling in two runs at Flemington and subsequently pulling up with knee issues.
She appears to be well and truly over those issues now with her pair of 108 rating wins, which is only one pound behind three-year-old filly Super Smink who runs first-up while it's ahead of the likes of Almighty Class and Petula.
No doubt Wild Belle will need to improve further to be winning with star power heading the market, with a mare needing to run a clear new career peak to be a proper winning chance, but returning with a career best run, along with a favourable, adaptable racing pattern gives her a decent place chance.
Wild Belle has been pushed out to a $41 chance in the final field with TABtouch. She's drawn barrier 11 with Steven Parnham to ride.
About the Slot Holder: Lindsey Smith Racing
A winner of the Perth trainer's premiership, Lindsey Smith is still a major supporter of WA racing with a slot in the Quokka despite having relocated east to Warrnambool.
An 11 time Group 1 winning trainer, some of Smith's more recent stable stars include Black Heart Bart, Scales of Justice and Toorak Handicap winner Tuvalu.
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