Veloce Bella shows pace Brosnan lacks

Two crocks have burst into contention for this weekend's Gr I $200,000 Darci Brahma International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa after combining for a commanding Hamilton Cup win on the same course on Saturday.

While injury-plagued mare Veloce Bella dashed home to win Saturday's $17,000 SkyCity Hamilton Casino Cup (2000m) at Te Rapa, it took some time before her Matamata trainer Mark Brosnan emerged at the winner's stall, moving at a considerably more sedate pace.

Hobbling with the aid of crutches, Brosnan is recovering from a broken ankle and tendon and ligament damage suffered from a relatively innocuous trip while playing paintball before Christmas.

Veloce Bella could probably empathise with her trainer, having herself nursed a serious tendon injury suffered in the 2007 Rotorua Plate which kept her sidelined for more than a year.

Three times a Gr II winner before her injury, Veloce Bella has lost little of her zest since her return with a further Gr II win in the Travis Stakes at Te Rapa last season and two Gr I placings in the New Zealand Breeders' Stakes and last year's International Stakes at Te Rapa.

She was also Gr I placed before her injury in the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham.

The one hole in her resume is a victory at racing's elite level and Brosnan is hoping to fill that void in the weight-for-age International Stakes on Saturday.

''She's at her peak now and she loves Te Rapa. Hopefully it will be more of the same next week. She certainly deserves a Gr I win,'' Brosnan said after Veloce Bella had streaked away to a three length win, her third from 10 starts at the track.

''She was third [in the International Stakes] last year and it was a slowly run race, and she'd had trouble in the barriers. We're just trying to get her to race a bit more forward.

''We've always been happy with her. This time in she's been racing well but without luck. The only disappointing run was in the Zabeel Classic [for sixth] and that wasn't that bad a run either.

''She's beaten the best when she's right and we always know she's got that class factor.''

Saturday's win was the Veloce Bella's ninth from 38 starts and took her earnings to $477,000.

Rider Michael Coleman settled the Volksraad six-year-old mare worse than midfield and was able to tack onto the back of Spectacular Icon as he worked forward three wide from the 700m.

In the straight, Coleman peeled off Spectacular Icon's back and surged to the lead with 250m to race, turning the tables on the Chris Wood-trained stayer, who had won last year's race relegating Brosnan's mare into third.

''There was good speed up front and I got a nice drag up into the race from the 600m,'' Coleman said.

''She's a good mare and she was pretty bouncy today.''

Spectacular Icon held second, half a length ahead of Six O'Clock News, who will have his final leadup for the $1 million Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on March 10 in the 2400m open handicap at Ellerslie on February 20.

New Zealand Cup winner My Scotsgrey produced a super run from last for fourth, ahead of Grand Affair, Willy Smith and Tin Goose.

- © Fairfax NZ News