Brilliant Mossman daughter Plucky Belle became her sire’s second Group 1 ATC Coolmore Classic (1500m) winner when she defeated boom filly and odds-on favourite First Seal in last weekend’s $600,000 feature at Rosehill.
Trained by Peter Moody, Plucky Belle came from the back half of the field threading her way through runners in the straight to prevail in a driving finish to give Linda Meech a hard-earned Group 1 breakthrough.
“I didn’t think we had won so this is a bit a surreal,” Meech said.
“I thought she’d run a gallant race. She went everywhere I wanted her to go, she took every gap.”
Plucky Belle’s Coolmore triumph sees her earnings sky rocket to $745,983 as well as make her one of the most prized broodmares in the land.
The Esplin family-owned six-year-old is out of the Group 2 Queensland Guineas winner Winning Belle (by Zabeel) who was famously second to the legendary Makybe Diva in the VRC Australian Cup.
Plucky Belle’s previous wins include the Group 3 VRC Lavazza Short Black Plate at Flemington on Cup day as well as placings in a host of black-type races notably the Group 2 Millie Fox and the Birthday Card and Nivison, both Group 3 features.
Plucky Belle becomes Mossman’s fifth Group 1 winner alongside the iron-horse Buffering, Golden Slipper winner Mossfun, NZ Oaks winner Miss Mossman and Ron Quinton’s 2012 Coolmore winner Ofcourseican.
