Brilliant Singapore Return for Star Sebring Mare

Top class sire Sebring has hit the ground running in the new season siring five winners in the past three days including quality mare Believe Yourself, who won the Group II ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes at two.

Fourth in the Golden Slipper won by Mossfun, highly talented mare Believe Yourself was subsequently sent to race in Singapore by her Japanese owner Tom Sekiguchi and struck top form when returning from a spell to win at Kranji on Friday night.

A winner in Singapore in January for her new trainer Hideyuki Takaoka, Believe Yourself disappointed in following runs and was given a break.

Fresh from her spell, Believe Yourself (pictured courtesy Singapore Turf Club) produced her best to win the open benchmark sprint over 1200 metres by three-quarters of a length.

“She’s still a very light-framed mare, but I think she is more athletic now. Most importantly, her temperament has improved, too,” said Hideyuki Takaoka.

“I thought she had had enough work to run well, though I wasn’t sure about the win. I will see how many points she picks up – maybe five or six, not sure – and I may then consider running her in the Jumbo Jet Trophy.”

Also saluting at Rosehill on Saturday was five year-old mare Bring a Ring, who scored by a long neck over 1400 metres for Canberra trainer Matthew Dale.

A stakes-winner at two, it’s good to see Bring a Ring also training on to win again in the metropolitan area as an older mare.