Bonaria Flying Ahead Of Bellmaine Stakes

Bonaria has been included in the 2015 Bellmaine Stakes field and trainer Pat Hyland could not be happier with the mare ahead of her return to racing at Caulfield on Saturday.

Bonaria scored the biggest win of her racing career to date in the 2015 Bellmaine Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Bonaria scored the biggest win of her racing career to date in the 2015 Bellmaine Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Bonaria broke through for an elusive win at the highest level of racing when she swamped the likes of Sweet Idea and Catkins to win the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day and Hyland told Racing Ahead that the daughter of Redoute’s Choice looks to have come back in just as good a form.

The six-year-old has never recorded a first-up victory, but she finished a most unlucky third behind A Time For Julia in the Bellmaine Stakes last year and Hyland is expecting her to produce another good effort in this year’s edition of the race.

“She is flying at the moment, she is very good and I am very happy with her,” Hyland said.

“She has done very well and she is in good shape.

“She always run well without winning first-up, but if we got a bit of rain it would help things a bit.”

Dwayne Dunn has been booked to ride Bonaria in the Group 3 Bellmaine Stakes and Hyland is hoping that the leading Melbourne hoop will stay with his star mare throughout her autumn preparation.

Bonaria is likely to head to Sydney for the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 14 and the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 11, but Hyland revealed that the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 4 could also be on the agenda for the mare.

“He seems pretty keen to ride her and it would be nice if he could stay with her,” Hyland said of Dunn.

“We are going through the mares races in Melbourne and then we will go to Sydney.

“She will either run in the mares races up there, but I have put her in the Doncaster because she will probably get weighted pretty well in the Doncaster.”

The 2015 Bellmaine Stakes field was released yesterday and Bonaria is set to face stiff competition in the form of the talented Solicit, consistent sprinter Girl Guide and Robert Smerdon-trained Politeness.

Bonaria is currently available at 2015 Bellmaine Stakes odds of $10 with Ladbrokes, while Girl Guide ($3.40) is a clear favourite from Politeness ($5), Solicit ($7) and Tycoon Tara ($7).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.