Everest Winner Bella Nipotina Retired

Breeders will be afforded a rare opportunity when the multiple group 1-winning sprinter Bella Nipotina (AUS) goes under the hammer in May. The only mare to win The Everest (G1) was officially retired March 18, bringing an end to a glittering career in which the 7-year-old amassed an extraordinary AU$22,757,624 in prize money, making her Australia's second-highest-earning racehorse, behind only Winx (AUS). The daughter of Pride Of Dubai (AUS) epitomized durability during her six seasons on the track, with 57 starts resulting in 11 wins, headed by four elite-level victories, eight at stakes level, and 26 placings. Bella Nipotina was bred and co-owned by Longwood Thoroughbred Farm and the Victoria-based operation's principal Michael Christian said the decision to sell the mare was bittersweet. "It's been an incredible ride and journey that she's taken us on right from starting as an October 2-year-old and then being very competitive in the Debutant Stakes, right through to continuing to race on as a 7-year-old and becoming the first mare to win The Everest," he told ANZ Bloodstock News. "Our family owns 50% and the other 50% ownership group have decided they would like to sell, so that doesn't give us many options. "It is sad in a way, we would love to have kept her at the farm, but that's not going to be the case, so she'll be offered up for sale over the next couple of months." Key players from Inglis and Magic Millions will now be fighting for the right to sell Bella Nipotina, with Inglis' Chairman's Sale beginning in Sydney May 8 and its Australian Broodmare Sale a day later, while the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale will be held on the Gold Coast May 27-29. Bella Nipotina made her debut under the care of David Hayes in Caulfield's Debutant Stakes back in October of 2019, where she finished fourth. She captured her first stakes win as a 3-year-old for Tom Dabernig, winning the Quezette Stakes (G3) at Caulfield by two lengths and, after joining the Ciaron Maher stable in May 2021, she doubled her group 3 tally, taking out the How Now Stakes (G3) at the same track later that year as a 4-year-old. A first top-flight success came when she claimed an atoning win in the Manikato Stakes (G1) at The Valley in 2022. Her remarkable Queensland winter carnival expedition in 2024 yielded two elite-level wins in the Doomben Ten Thousand (G1) and Tiara (G1). However, it was Sydney's Spring Carnival that year which saw Bella Nipotina cement herself, with her crowning glory coming via an astonishing Everest win, where she overcame a grueling trip to take out the AU$20 million sprint under regular partner Craig Williams by 0.2 lengths over 2022 winner Giga Kick. "It's an amazing story and we look forward to seeing her babies on the ground at some point and who knows, we might even put a hand up and buy one so we'll see how we go," Christian said.