Racing
Clark hoping Belle tolls in Tatt’s Tiara
Fresh from his Stradbroke Handicap triumph, Tim Clark has set his sights on another Queensland feature.
An opportunity to link with the fresh horse on the scene has convinced Tim Clark to pin his final Group One hopes of the season on Victorian-trained mare Grinzinger Belle in the Tattersall's Tiara.
Clark, who won his second Stradbroke Handicap two weeks ago aboard War Machine, has never ridden Grinzinger Belle in a race but having assessed her form, he is warming to the four-year-old having the right profile for the final major of the 2024-25 racing term.
"My manager was keen. He had a look at the potential make-up of the field and she is the fresh horse on the scene," Clark said.
"The mares that have been racing up there have been taking turns a bit and there isn't a lot between them, so we looked outside the square a bit."
A four-time winner at Group level in Victoria, Grinzinger Belle was given a freshen-up after finishing midfield in Fangirl's Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in April.
Prior to that, she had led throughout to comfortably claim the Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley and she is a two-time winner over the 1400m Tattersall's Tiara journey.
She also has a good record fresh and Clark expects her on-pace racing style to be advantageous.
"A few of the mares' races up there have lacked a bit of speed and she is one who is going to make her own luck," he said.
"She likes to run along and break a field up. Hopefully we can end the season with another Group One."
Trained by Danny O'Brien, Grinzinger Belle is an $11 chance in pre-nomination markets with the Chris Waller-trained Firestorm a $3.50 favourite.
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