Far from being disappointed by Belle Couture’s debut second at Bendigo, trainer Danny O’Brien has come away encouraged by what he saw from the half sister to Black Caviar.
Sent out the $1.50 favourite in an 1100m maiden, Belle Couture was run down by another newcomer, the Greg Eurell-trained Paddy’s Gem ($7) who won by a short half head.
O’Brien said all the pointers were there that Belle Couture would make the grade.
Paddy's Gem, Brad Rawiller - Photo by Sharon Chapman
“There was a bit of a tip around for the winner so it might be pretty smart and the pleasing part was when she was joined by the winner she was coming back at it,” O’Brien told Racing Victoria.
“She’s got the right attributes to make into a good racehorse and it’s only the beginning today, not the finish.
“We’ve always thought she’s probably more in the All Too Hard mould than Black Caviar in that we think she’ll be a lot more comfortable when she steps out to 1400 metres and a mile (1600m).
“At 1100 metres today she’s just been pipped but we’re very encouraged by what she’s shown and looking forward to the future.
“Remember (Cox Plate winner) Shamus Award was beaten at his first nine starts.”
The filly’s jockey Damien Oliver agreed with O’Brien’s assessment she would stretch out to longer distances.
“She feels as though she is looking for further for sure,” Oliver said.
“She had a nice run to win but when she got the front she didn’t really know how to put the race away.”
Winning jockey Brad Rawiller said he thought he had the race won once he got Paddy’s Gem into clear running but he had a fight on his hands.
“The stable were pretty confident without knowing how good the other filly was,” Rawiller said.
“It’s always nice when they can come to Bendigo at their first start and get the money because you know it will be good form.”
By Redoute’s Choice out of Helsinge, Belle Couture was a $2.6 million yearling at last year’s Easter sale.
She is also a half sister to All Too Hard who beat Pierro in the 2012 Caulfield Guineas and was undefeated in three Group One starts last autumn.
