Racing: Mother Teresa and Atilla the Hun

Trevor McKee. Photo / Greg Bowker

There is a long-held belief that in race mares the worse the nature the bigger the stake-earnings.

The belief, of course, became much stronger through Sunline.

Now there was a total bitch.

Ask co-trainer Trevor McKee.

He and strapper Claire Bird often came close to losing body parts.

With a $12 million bank balance comes a lot of forgiveness.

We've got two contrasting cases at Te Rapa today in We Can Say It Now, hot favourite to win the $200,000 Waikato Draught Sprint, and Veloce Bella, a strong chance to lift the other group one, the Darci Brahma International. The two personalities couldn't be further apart.

We Can Say It Now is so kind she could play the screen double of Mother Teresa while Veloce Bella plays much closer to Atilla The Hun.

"She's got a gorgeous nature," says co-trainer Bjorn Baker of We Can Say It Now.

That's not something you'll hear Mark Brosnan say about Veloce Bella.

The Matamata mare comes with the racing tag of "tough", a euphemism for "a right pain in the arse".

But then when it comes to grumpiness her sire Volksraad often gets a mention. Testament to that is the mangled upper-arm tattoo of one of Windsor Park's stallion handlers, who this time last year Volksraad decided to use as his paddock ragdoll via the grip he had on his upper arm.

Forgiveness comes at all levels.

In-foal Veloce Bella will take her earnings to $794,325 if she wins today's big race.

And the foal will be worth more via the additional group one victory.

That adds up to a lot short of $12 million, but it's still worth the odd tickle up from the teeth or a hoof.

The footnote to this really needs to be the magnificent job done by quiet achiever Mark Brosnan. He can take a big bow if his good mare wins today.

Veloce, translated, means music moving swiftly. The team will settle for four hooves moving swiftly.