Bouzy Rouge wins Arrowfield Stud Mona Lisa Stakes
A first stakeswinner for the jockey, a new stakeswinner for the stallion and a new graduate stakeswinner for the sponsor: Friday’s $100,000 Wyong RC Mona Lisa S. LR delivered on many fronts.
The race was sponsored by Arrowfield Stud and it was won by Snitzel’s first-crop daughter Bouzy Rouge, bred and initially raced by Arrowfield’s long-time CFO Martin Story, former stud manager Sam Fairgray and his brother Andrew, and vet Mark Wylie.
Bouzy Rouge’s durability can be measured by her status as Snitzel’s second winner, as a 2YO back in December 2009, and his 24th stakeswinner, almost five years later.
Her Wyong success is also the first black type victory for apprentice jockey Winona Costin, and a welcome stakes win for leading Scone-based country trainer Luke Griffith.
Costin settled the mare near the back of the field and waited patiently for clear air which came as she slipped in behind the favourite My Sabeel around the turn. Bouzy Rouge peeled out and sprinted with alacrity over the final 100 metres to score by 1.3 lengths from Angel Bee, I’m in the Money and All Salsa (by Charge Forward), who ran on well for fourth.
Griffith was full of praise for his mare and her rider. “Winona Costin, she is an up and coming young apprentice. She’s with Gai Waterhouse now and I think she’ll make it to the top.
“What about Bouzy Rouge? There’s not much of her, but what there is of her is all heart – she’s a ripper.”
Bouzy Rouge is the first foal of Blurrta (by Bahhare), a three-quarter sister to South African Derby G1 winner Timber Trader, a daughter of dual Group 2 winner Glenview and a grand-daughter of 1984 New Zealand Oaks G1 winner Zephyrin.
Blurrta, who died two years ago, is also the dam of city-winning 5YO mare Piamimi (by Not A Single Doubt) and 3YO filly Oh Delilah (by Redoute’s Choice), now in training with Gerald Ryan.
Paul Messara trained Bouzy Rouge for her first 15 starts, which featured two wins at Tamworth and a couple of placings in Sydney. She was then purchased for $10,000 at the 2011 Inglis Scone Broodmare Sale by Wayne Brown, who races her with five partners.
Now seven, Bouzy Rouge is already enjoying her best season, with two wins, a Listed Race fourth and $113,000 from three starts in the past month. Her career record reads nine wins, 14 placings and almost $280,000 from 35 starts.
Bouzy Rouge is Snitzel’s third stakeswinner, after Sweet Idea and Smoko, in the first 36 days of 2014/15 and all three are Arrowfield graduates. Snitzel’s early season Australian prizemoney now stands at $810,525, which puts him in top spot on the General Sires’ list.
