It was a case of history repeating at Te Rapa racecourse on Saturday, with the talented Babylon Berlin taking out the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint for the second year in a row.
The seven-year-old daughter of All Too Hard, who has been a reliable performer when fresh from a spell, showed her talent under jockey Vinnie Colgan, charging away with the 1200-metre contest with a 1.8l margin.
Prepared by the partnership of Ben and Ryan Foote, Babylon Berlin remains a horse of prominence in the New Zealand sprinting scene, where she has taken out six Stakes races, as well as placing in a Group 1 on three occasions.
Ben Foote is optimistic that the upcoming Summer carnival may bring an elusive Group 1, saying, “I just wasn’t sure if she wanted to be back but that proves the point.
“When you see other mares like Atishu and Bella Nipotina winning as seven-year-olds it puts a spring in your step, but you never know until they step out again.
“She didn’t turn her coat until a couple of weeks ago and in the back of my mind I had that thought about whether she wanted to be there.
“She deserves to win a Group 1 but we will want to see how she comes through this one first before we get too far ahead although the sprint series is an obvious target.”
Babylon Berlin continues a strong back-end of spring for All Too Hard, who also enjoyed a stakes winner on Tuesday when Arran Bay fought resolutely to claim the Listed Furphy Plate at Flemington.
For the 2024 season, All Too Hard stands for a service fee of $38,500 (inc. GST), with payment on a live foal. For bookings or further information, contact Adam, Harry, McKoy or Peter on (02) 6543 8333.
