Bella Nipotina earned nearly $19 million along with an Everest triumph during her stellar career, yet the team behind glamorous three-year-old Tempted is bold enough to think she could surpass that filly as their finest.
“She is pretty special,” trainer Ciaron Maher’s assistant, Johann Gerard-Dubord said.
“I would quote Craig Williams when he jumped off her after the Everest. He said, ‘I love Bella (Nipotina), but she might be even better’. That’s how good she could be.”
Her superiority was tough to dispute following the filly’s demolition of opponents on return during Saturday’s Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, where she tracked the pace before surging clear in a commanding performance.
The extent of her control saw Chad Schofield pull up the $1.60 market leader nearing the finish, prevailing by 1-1/4 lengths from Napoleonic ($6.50), while Wodeton ($5) rallied late for third, a further 1-3/4 lengths back.
Although still seeking a Group 1 success, Tempted placed second to elite sprinter Ka Ying Rising in The Everest (1200m) last spring, and Gerard-Dubord noted her return in improved condition.
“When you run second in the Everest as a spring three-year-old, and running through the line, you know you’ve got a pretty special horse,” he said.
“She came back looking magnificent. Last prep, it took her a couple of runs to clean up in the coat but this time, from day one when she came back, she couldn’t look any better.
“Everything has been very smooth. Her target is the Surround (Stakes) in three weeks, which is why we elected to run this week. She would have been better placed against the fillies next week, but the three-week gap works out better.”
Future intentions for Tempted stay flexible after the Surround Stakes (1400m), though the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) ranks high among potential targets.
“All options are open. She is just so talented, and she relaxes so well, distance won’t be an issue,” Gerard-Dubord said.
On his debut ride aboard Tempted, Chad Schofield mentioned awareness of the compact field potentially leading to a strategic affair, so he aimed to seize control early.
“My two dangers were drawn to my inside, and I knew they were not going to let me in easily. So, I pinged her out (of the barriers), got her across and I was able to just control the race,” Schofield said.
“That was a lot of fun. She’s an aeroplane, really.”
Tempted’s success paves the way for an exciting showdown against fellow elite filly Apocalyptic in the Surround Stakes. Check out the Australian betting sites for the latest Eskimo Prince Stakes markets.
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