Believing winning at the Curragh© Photo Healy Racing
Believing will be one of the star attractions when she heads to the December Mares’ Sale early next month.
One of the most consistent sprinters around, George Boughey’s charge went to the Del Mar in a bid to bow out in a blaze of glory on her final start for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, but reared and unseated Ryan Moore in the stalls.
Although Believing escaped the incident unscathed, she was quickly withdrawn from the contest leaving connections to wonder what might have been in a race won by Ralph Beckett’s Starlust.
She will now head to Tattersalls for the Sceptre Sessions, which take place on December 2 and 3, as one of the feature lots.
Harry Herbert, managing director of Highclere, said: “It was not our finest hour, but these things happen. It was agony watching the whole thing unfold and we took her there thinking it was very probable/possible the pace would collapse, which it did, and which would have suited our filly down to the ground.
“It’s history now though and was just unfortunate. She’s come back and she now heads to the December Mares’ Sales. She’s out of contract with us this year, so rather like Cachet a couple of years ago, she heads to Tattersalls for the Sceptre Sessions.
“One would like to think with her brilliant record and fabulous looks, she is not only a breeder’s dream, but she could also race on for someone and she’s a high-class racing and breeding prospect and for anyone who wants a horse to run in Group One sprints next year, she’s a very attractive package.
“She’s such a beautiful filly with a wonderful conformation and she would be significant in anyone’s broodmare band. When you also have a temperament like hers which is extraordinarily sound, rather like her father Mehmas, it is worth their weight in gold as a broodmare prospect.”
Also in action in California was another of the owner’s and Boughey’s standout performers, Royal Ascot heroine Soprano, who failed to see out the 11-furlong trip in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Unlike Believing, she is one who will return to Boughey’s Saffron House Stables next season to continue her career, when she is likely to revert back to the mile distance she has thrived over in 2024.
“Soprano is fine and she was drawn out in the ‘boonies’ and unfortunately there is nothing anyone can do,” continued Herbert.
“I don’t think we’ll run her over that trip again. I think she definitely didn’t stay, but we learned plenty and we needed to find out.
“She was in top form going into the race and we’ll bring her back to a mile, possibly nine furlongs abroad, but a stiffish mile over here suits her well. She will be staying in training with us as a four-year-old next year.”
There may be a slight changing of the guard for the Highclere team with Believing heading to pastures new, but there are high hopes many of this year’s two-year-olds can make their mark during their Classic season.
Herbert added: “We’ve got Orchid who is an exciting filly, so is Bountiful and there’s also Centigrade who is down with Ralph Beckett and looks a bit special and won very impressively at Newbury – he could be the best colt we’ve had for a while.
“We’ll look forward to 2025 and we’re always optimistic. We’ve shaken ourselves off after the debacle of Del Mar and have plenty to look forward to with some excitement through the winter.”
