"We've tried to space her races but there's not a lot around for two-year-olds anyway. After she won, this was the obvious race to target leading into Christmas racing."
Bavella is out of a mare the Lindsays have been breeding from for four generations, her dam Zonza winning the Gr.3 Ladies Day Vase (1600m) at Caulfield and finishing fourth in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings, the Zabeel mare never starting at a distance shorter than 1400m.
"Anything out of a Zabeel mare is pretty versatile. Coupled up with Snitzel, you get that speed and hopefully with Zabeel, you've got the stamina too," Noble said.
"Our unknown is just how she will handle a wet track but we'll take our chances. It's better to find out in a stakes race that she can't handle a wet track, than to avoid it and find out in a lower grade race later on that a wet track is no problem."
TAB bookmakers installed Bavella a $1.80 favourite for the Splice Construction Stakes ahead of She's A Lady at $4 and last-start Te Rapa winner Maybeashowoff at $5.20.
Noble, the private trainer for the Lindsays, will also produce Save The Date in the Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes and Prince Jabeel and Sistabeel on the undercard.
- NZ Racing Desk