Racing: Mare storms to Travis victory

Veloce Bella capped a season of frustration for her connections with an outstanding performance to win the $100,000 (Group Two) Travis Stakes at Te Rapa yesterday.

Veloce Bella has a wonderful finishing burst but she has been difficult for punters to follow. No one has had to endure more heartbreak than the 5-year-old's Matamata-based trainer Mark Brosnan this season.

Brosnan could allow himself a chuckle after the victory reflecting upon a busy campaign.

"She had no problem with the track conditions here and Opie Bosson rode her correctly letting her get back in the field to settle and she has that great sprint on her," said Brosnan.

Veloce Bella settled back in the field and Bosson timed his challenge to perfection in the home straight, storming down the outer to win by three-quarters of a length over Culminate with a further half-length back to Gin Dartre (third).

Bosson rode Veloce Bella for the first time in her previous start when finishing an unlucky third behind Dane Julia in a Group Two event at Te Aroha. Bosson was not going to be unlucky on this occasion and had the well-built mare out in clear galloping air ready to pounce on the home turn.

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Lance Noble was one trainer who was not worried about the wet weather conditions with stable runner Geeza scoring an impressive victory in the $85,000 (Group Three) Windsor Park Stud Breeders Stakes.

Geeza carried a faultless form line into the 3-year-old sprint feature and left a strong field of age group rivals struggling behind him at the finish.

Geeza unleashed an effortless sprint in testing track conditions with 200m remaining to score by a half-length over Santangelo with a further neck back to Singa Lass (third).

Without doubt the run of the race was from the fifth placed I Robot who received a bad check from Islington Bay soon after the start and made up a stack of ground in the home stretch.

Islington Bay's jockey Jason Waddell did a remarkable job to maintain his balance in the saddle averting a potentially horrific race fall.

"I've always thought a bit of this horse and we threw him in here against a good field of 3-year-olds and it was an impressive performance," said Noble.

"You really can't fault his record and he's really hit a nice patch of form winning his last three. He's going to develop into a really nice horse.

"I could look at taking him to Brisbane for the Queensland Guineas and he would have to have a lead up race over there before the Guineas.

" This horse has never had a trip away before so I think the experience of travelling to Australia and racing would help mature him into a professional racehorse," said Noble.

"A lot will depend on how he pulls up after the race as the other option is to give him one more run here then tip him out for a spell."

Noble believes Geeza will be an easy horse to place next season in 1200m and 1400m races although the 3-year-old has the racing manners and sprint finishing ability to cope with a jump up in distance to 1600m.