The Valley - Saturday 25th September 2020

5 Clarken $55,000 better off thanks to Ladbrokes’ winning prize. The cheque was handed over to Kah in Clarken’s absence, where Kah recalls she ‘tried to run off with it’ before finding its way to the rightful owner. In a blow for Kah, Bella Vella claimed her biggest scalp to date by the winning the Group 1 Sangster at Morphettville. Sadly, due to COVID-19 restrictions, Kah watched the race on a television screen from Caulfield as Todd Pannell held on for victory. “I was so happy for not only the horse, but also Todd Pannell who rode her, and my friend Ruby rides her trackwork, and obviously Will who has done such a great job with her” “I’m very happy she’s in Melbourne and nobody can kick me off her now though” That’s because Bella Vella now has the Melbourne Spring Carnival in her sights and it’s off to the perfect start with the six-year-old mare taking out the Group 2 Mittys McEwen Stakes first-up at The Valley on September 5 over 1000 metres. “She was just so tough… she was always going to win in my mind” “She is getting better every time I get on her,” Kah said in an ominous warning for her rivals. Clarken too has a real soft spot for his stable star who just gives her all every time she races. “I’m a bit emotional after that, she’s a horse to fall in love with,” said Clarken post-race after the win. “She has heaps of ability, but I just admire how tough she is and how hard she tries” - “She delivers ten-fold.” Each time Bella Vella and Kah have returned to The Valley they have reached new heights and that bodes well for her upcoming campaign where she will target the Group 1 sprint pillars at the track. Kah has ridden two Group 1 wins of her own, both coming at Flemington, but she is hoping the bright lights of The Valley’s night racing season can deliver her a third as Bella Vella tackles both the $1 million Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes and $1 million Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes in the coming weeks. “I rode Faatinah in the Moir Stakes last year, finishing fourth, and at her best I’m hoping Bella Vella can deliver me a Group 1 at The Valley where I’ve enjoyed some luck” “She isn’t just a 955 metre horse and I think the 1200 metres of a Manikato Stakes won’t be a worry, with less challenges up on the speed” “If I got a Group 1 for Will it would be one hell of a party,” Kah professed. One thing you can count on this spring is that these ‘two crazy fillies’ are every chance to conquer the Group 1 mountain at The Valley and celebrate in style.