BELLE CHASES SYDNEY GROUP 1

Multiple Stakes winner Grinzinger Belle will be among a trio of Victoria-trained mares aiming to snare a first Group 1 win in the Coolmore Classic in Sydney on Saturday.

The Danny O'Brien-trained Grinzinger Belle heads to the 1500-metre feature for fillies and mares at Rosehill off a first-up fourth placing to Coolmore Classic rival Coeur Volante at Caulfield last month, but O'Brien believes the four-year-old is capable of a better showing.

The Coolmore, in which star three-year-old filly Lady Shenandoah is the early favourite, is also set to feature Victorian mares Coeur Volante and Marble Arch after both won Group races at their most recent starts in Melbourne.

Grinzinger Belle strode along out in front in the G3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m) on February 22 before being overtaken early in the home straight and finishing just under five lengths from the winner, Coeur Volante.

The mare has won three times at Group level, however, with front-running victories in the G2 Vanity and G2 Let's Elope Stakes over the Flemington 1400m last year, as well as a G3 win in the Ladies Day Vase (1600m) at Caulfield last October.

"She's well-treated with the handicaps in the Coolmore," O'Brien said.

"She meets some of the mares in that race a lot better for the last couple of times she has met them.

"She probably just overdid it a bit first-up. She just set sectionals that were just not sustainable.

"She's come through that run well and we'd expect her to run well."

To be ridden by Regan Bayliss, Grinzinger Belle has 53kg in what will be her first time racing in Sydney and O'Brien says the plan will be to press forward from a wide draw, as is the four-year-old's usual racing pattern.

"I think 1500 metres is probably the perfect distance for her, so we're giving her the opportunity in the Group 1 race on Saturday," O'Brien said.

Story by Mathew Toogood for Racing.com

Pic by Racing Photos