Bella Nipotina to be offered at Chairman’s

The Everest winner to be sold in Sydney in May.

BELLA NIPOTINA winning the THE TAB EVEREST.
BELLA NIPOTINA winning the THE TAB EVEREST. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

Inglis has won the race to offer Bella Nipotina with the star sprinter to go under the hammer at the prestigious Chairman's Sale.

Ciaron Maher announced during the week that the only mare to win The Everest had run her last race with Inglis announcing on Thursday night that she will be a glamour lot at its prized sale on the night of Thursday, May 8.

Part-owner Michael Christian, who also bred the seven-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai, will be sad to see her go but is excited about seeing her getting the farewell she deserves.

"The night is going to be a real celebration of her achievements and it's going to be all about her and recognising what she's achieved, it's going to be a special night for sure, a memorable night,'' Christian said.
"I just feel so humbled and proud that she earned a reputation of being so tough and uncompromising.

"That's what I'm most proud of, that she was never beaten far when she was beaten and that earned her enormous respect from the racing fraternity and we will celebrate all that is Bella Nipotina at the Inglis Chairman's Sale in May.''

Bella Nipotina, who was an $80,000 Premier Sale yearling, retires the winner of 11 of races, four of them at Group 1 level, the most recent being last year's The Everest, which helped swell her career earnings to $22,757,625.

She is set to become Australasia's latest multi-million-dollar broodmare with her former on-track rival Imperatriz setting the benchmark for a mare sold off the track last year when sold for $6.6 million.

"You embark on racing horses and then breeding horses, which we've done for a long time now and you don't ever think you'll breed and raise and race one that will achieve what she's achieved,'' Christian said.
"It's all a bit surreal to be honest. It's been incredible and it's always been all about her, her toughness, her bravery, her durability, her courage, to be able to keep racing like she did for five seasons and then win an Everest as a seven-year-old, it's remarkable.

"Her Everest win was mind blowing, really. She drew the outside gate, she sat three wide with no cover and still won.

"It's just been an incredible ride and it's definitely mixed emotions that it's all coming to an end.''
Bella Nipotina is one of the number of high-quality mares from the Maher yard who will be offered at Chairman's, joined by I Am Me, Estriella, Royal Merchant and Semana, while the plethora of premium mares will also go under the hammer.


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