Aurum Belle fired a warning shot and firmed to outright favouritism for next month’s Karrakatta Plate with a contemptuous success in the Listed $125,000 Supremacy Stakes (1000m) at Ascot.
The precursor to the event were stunning betting fluctuations with Aurum Belle hammered from $2.90 down to $1.50, while He’s A Machino was a dramatic drifter from $1.85 out to $8. Showing her usual alacrity, Aurum Belle darted to an early ascendancy over All On Red ($11), who kicked up in the centre to plant He’s A Machino out three wide.
The three remained as such until the home straight when Aurum Belle spurned their attentions and kicked more than a length clear, allowing Snow Monkey ($6.50) — who had positioned behind the leader — clear running. But with Brad Parnham finally reaching for the whip inside the last 150m, the pacesetting daughter of Snitzel kept up the gallop and comfortably accounted for Snow Monkey by two lengths, with He’s A Machino a further two and a quarter astern. A $725,000 yearling purchase being from Dame Giselle, a four-time Group 2 winner, Aurum Belle has delivered on every bit of expectation from Neville Parnham thus far.
“She was pretty raw as most two-year-olds are at their first appearance, but she’s obviously taken benefit from that and I’m pretty confident there’s more improvement in her. (He’s A Machino) obviously didn’t get the best of runs and it’s going to come forward too, and I think it’s pretty smart,’’ said Parnham. “That might bring them closer together with a better run for that horse and a better barrier, but I think she’s pretty exciting this filly and I’m not as nervous today.” The two will divert paths in two weeks’ time when Aurum Belle contests the Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) and He’s A Machino the Perth Stakes (1100m) before renewing hostilities in the Karrakatta Plate (1200m) a further fortnight on.
“I’ve no qualms with the 1200m whatsoever. You can rein her, and she’ll relax but as soon as Brad asks her and gives her a little slap on the backside, she really finds. Not many two-year-olds break 58 (seconds for 1000m), so it’s a pretty good effort today.’’ Bonjoy, notably supported to take the Bunbury Stakes two weeks ago, was again strongly tried from $5.50 into $2.80 favouritism to land the Listed $125,000 Grandstand Cup (1500m) later in the programme. Defying a penalty, she did not let her backers down, unwinding a withering run over the final 220m to again defeat Fast Flicker ($7) by a half-length.
Sunday Times – Hayden King – March 22