Selected as a foundation sire for Kia Ora Stud, Golden Slipper winner Farnan has provided a dream start for the Hunter Valley farm with a slew of smart winners from his first crop this season including Commanding Belle, who became his 11th winner on Thursday.
Trained by Robert and Luke Price, Commanding Belle has shown talent from the start with a third placing to subsequent Group winning colt Rivellino on debut at Randwick back in January.
Having her second run back from a little break at Kembla in the 1300m maiden, Commanding Belle was a raging hot favourite and won as punters expected. She chimed in for Brock Ryan with a furlong to run and raced away to beat older rivals by a length and a half at her fifth start.
A $160,000 Magic Millions purchase for her trainers from the Bell River Thoroughbreds draft, Commanding Belle was bred by Ben Kwok and is the first foal of Amazing Belle, a half-sister by O’Reilly to two time New Zealand Horse of the Year Melody Belle, a 14 time G1 winner that was bought by Yulong off the track for $2.6million in 2021.
Commanding Belle has obviously been pleasing her connections for sometime as they purchased her yearling full sister at Magic Millions this year for $220,000.
Commanding Belle is the 11th winner for Farnan and they include three Group winners in North England, King of Pop and Recuperato.
Farnan has earned a fee increase and will stand for $77,000 this spring up from $55,000.
