Last Saturday, the unbeaten Bella Riva, won her 'Prep' race for the first Jewel of local racing's 'Triple Crown' the Guineas, impressively by 3 3/4 lengths in the hands of champion jockey Brian Boodramsing.
The first leg of the 'Triple Crown' which is expected to be run off on August 1st.
The Jetsam Award winner for the Champion Juvenile of 2019, stretched her unbeaten record to five successes from as many starts when she cruised to victory in the final event on Day Nine of the Arima Race Club (ARC) racing season.
However, punters called it correctly as they made Bella Riva, the prohibitive favourite, at odds of 3-5 and she did not disappoint her backers, as she scored impressively in the time of 1:12.3.
From the start, Brian Boodramsing was contented to track to the early pace set by Spring Valley and Maha Raja. However, at the far turn Boodramsing asked the daughter of Saint Vigeur/Grand Riviere to take closer order. Coming to the corner Boodramsing allowed the filly an inch of rein and she loomed up on the outside of Spring Valley and Maha Raja, and from then on it was just a question of how far?
Top jockey Brian Boodramsing commented, "Bella Riva is a very smart filly.
She does everything that I ask of her and I am very happy with her performance."
When asked about his tactic in the event, Boodramsing stated, "We were drawn on the outside which meant that I could hold her up off the pace and they were going quickly in the first 600 metres of the event. Really, at the far turn, she was travelling so very well and I was not yet ready to allowed her to go pick up the race. Once I said go, she cruised up in style and put the race to bed.'
When asked if she will stay, a positive Boodramsing said, " I think she will stay well and once she trains the way she has been and we all know how good a trainer John O'Brien is, she will stay the distances. She is learning and is very relaxed now in her races and once she continues to improve as she has done, she will have a great shot at 'winning the 'Triple Crown.'
When the Poon Tip Stud Farm owned Bella Riva goes to post for the Guineas, she will be chasing a six-timer.