Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“More than anything we are so pleased for John Thompson,” James Ferguson said as he celebrated Bel Merci's Gimcrack S. with a pleasant Monday fishing with friends.
“He is such a good, genuine, down to earth person and a terrific horseman.”
And it is because of those personality traits that the Fergusons were confident of a bold showing from Bel Merci with her trainer building her up from day one.
“I'd never heard John talk about a horse like he has with her, he has been so upbeat about her from the start,” Ferguson said, noting that “we’ve had Group horses with him before and he is not usually like that, normally he is pretty quiet and reserved about his horses.”
“I'd never heard John (Thompson) talk about a horse like he has with her (Bel Merci), he has been so upbeat about her from the start.” - James Ferguson
A star!
But not this time, Thompson telling the media that Bel Merci is “a star.”
“She is a lovely filly, just a natural from day one. You can always tell early that they are pretty good and she has always ticked all the boxes.
“She is not trained up at all, that's not me, I don't push my 2-year-olds early in the season,” he said, recalling Bel Merci’s first jump-out before her official trial a Kensington second to her Gimcrack victim O' Ole (Ole Kirk).
John Thompson | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“She was 6l in front around the home corner and won by 12l!”
Jockey Chad Schofield was also excited by the win, telling the press that Bel Merci "has a good brain on her for such a young, inexperienced horse.”
“John said to me two months ago, ‘come and gallop a little filly, I think she's quite smart,’” he said, “and she has impressed all the way through; every gallop, every jumpout, every trial.”
“It was never the plan to lead,” he continued, “we have been training her to sit off but I just had too much horse underneath me, I would've had to break her stride to get cover.”
Uncomplicated from the moment she was born
Foaled on September 1, 2022, Bel Merci had caught the eye from when she first appeared with James Ferguson describing her as “uncomplicated from the moment she was born.”
“And with every preparation, every bit of education, she has come back physically improved.”
Which augers well for the summer with Bel Merci back into the paddock at Bell River tomorrow for six weeks, Thompson planning two runs leading into the Slipper.
James Ferguson | Image courtesy of Bell River Thoroughbreds
“A lot can happen with 2-year-olds,” Ferguson said, “but the dream is alive.”
Bel Merci is the 11th foal produced by her now 20-year-old dam Bel Mer (Bel Esprit), a mare who made her way through the ring on a number of occasions, firstly as a $110,000 yearling at the 2006 Magic Millions and four years later fetching $1.05 million to the bid of Patinack Farm at the Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale.
In 2014 she was part of the Patinack dispersal, purchased by Goldin Farms for $850,000 and in May 2020 she appeared in a Magic Millions online sale where the Fergusons snapped her up for $70,000.
Bel Mer as offered at the Magic Millions May Online Sale in 2020 | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A nice price for a mare who achieved so much on the race track, Bel Mer for her owners led by Vinery Stud winning four of her 19 starts with a further seven placings on her record.
The winner of just short of $600,000 in stakes, Bel Mer was in the placings at her only 2-year-old start at Moonee Valley. Second up at three she won the Listed Quezette S. defeating the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Sleek Chassis (Flying Spur); winning that race in the same front-running style of her daughter.
A stunning Group 1 mare
A brave second splitting the multiple Group 1 winners Weekend Hussler (Hussonet {USA}) and Scenic Blast (Scenic {Ire}) in the G1 Coolmore Stud S., she added the Listed JRA S. and the Listed The Heath to her record before getting her chance to shine at the elite level in the G1 Robert Sangster S. during her final campaign.
Bel Mer | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Taking the lead straightening, Bel Mer won that race by a length (becoming her sire Bel Esprit's first Group 1 winner) and Ferguson can see in her the quality that she displayed on the track.
“She is a physically stunning mare,” Ferguson said, happy to have purchased her as an older mare with her near perfect record at stud suggesting that she had plenty to offer genetically.
“With no disrespect intended to the horses she had been visiting, she was doing a consistent job with stallions not as successful as a horse like Extreme Choice.”
“With no disrespect intended to the horses she (Bel Mer) had been visiting, she was doing a consistent job with stallions not as successful as a horse like Extreme Choice.” - James Ferguson
“She always had the potential, it was just a matter of getting the stallion right.”
Producing multiple winners by a variety of stallions including Akeed Mofeed (GB), Onemorenomore and Husson (Arg), Bel Mer showed what she could do when upgraded by All Too Hard, producing the Listed Christmas S. winner All Too Royal.
Not in foal when purchased by Bell River and partners, the Hogno, Walker and Gilvarry families, Bel Mer was set to visit Extreme Choice (also bred by Bell River with Hogno and Walker) on two occasions; the plan being to sell one of her progeny and keep the other.
The first, described by Ferguson as “forward and strong,” made her way to last year's Magic Millions where she was secured by Peachester Lodge for $800,000.
Surprise Honey as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Named Surprise Honey, she has shown ability for the Tony Gollan stable with a couple of placings amongst her first three starts; the latest a somewhat unlucky Eagle Farm third in late July.
Firm believer in older mares
Bel Merci was Ferguson said, a different type, describing her as “a bit more on the lighter side, a bit more feminine and a touch more athletic.”
Missing last season upon a return visit to Extreme Choice, Bel Mer has a “very nice” Farnan colt who will be sold at the Magic Millions and she has tested in foal to Anders, noting that both of those stallions are sons of Extreme Choice's sire Not A Single Doubt.
Whilst some may have baulked at purchasing Bel Mer at her age, Ferguson was delighted to get her, noting that “I am a firm believer that older mares can still get results, you just have to look after them and put the work in.”
“I am a firm believer that older mares can still get results, you just have to look after them and put the work in.” - James Ferguson
“We rug them through winter, keep them fed up,” he said and Bel Merci is certainly proof in the pudding!
Breeding a stakes winner by a stallion the same connections bred is quite the thrill, Ferguson happy for Bell River's long time clients who he describes as “wonderful people who have always been great to deal with.”
Bel Merci, winner of the G3 Gimcrack S. on debut on Saturday | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“The Hogno family have been with us for over a decade and the Walkers the last six years since we moved to the new farm.
“Not many breeders can say they bred and sold a Group 1 winner and then bred and raced a Group winner by him.”
Extreme Choice continues to achieve
Sold to Mick Price for $100,000 at the 2015 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Extreme Choice won four of his eight starts including the G1 Blue Diamond S. and the G1 Moir S. and despite his well documented fertility issues, he continues to achieve.
Extreme Choice | Standing at Newgate Stud Farm
Bel Merci is his 13th stakes winner amongst his 74 winners from 104 runners; and his fifth juvenile stakes winner.
Bel Merci is her dam's ninth winner from 10 to race and Bel Mer is also grandam of two stakes performers, the Group 3-placed multiple city winners Midnight In Tokyo (Kobayashi) and Generosity (Divine Prophet).
Bel Mer's Listed-winning dam Drop Anchor (At Talaq {USA}) was also an excellent producer, well-represented by 13 foals, all who raced with 11 being winners including the Singapore S. winner Ken Arok (Bel Esprit).
Another of her foals by Bel Esprit, the Eagle Farm winner Found The One, is dam of the dual Group 3 winner Sylvia's Mother (Snitzel).
That mare and Bel Merci are amongst the six stakes winners bred on a Redoute's Choice/Bel Esprit cross, one which provides for duplications of the strong influences Nijinsky (Can), Tom Fool (USA) and Silly Season (USA) as well as for Mumtaz Mahal (GB) (The Tetrarch {GB}) family strength.
Drop Anchor's dam Marine Park (Sir Dapper) also had good ability, winning eight races including the Listed Straight Six at Flemington and she produced eight winners whilst her city-winning dam French Finale (Bletchingly) is a full sister to the dam of the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Clay Hero.
Impressive tally of stakes winners
Bel Merci enhances the already impressive tally of stakes winners bred by Bell River with Extreme Choice one of their three Group 1 winners; the others being the Rich Hill Stud-based G1 VRC Derby and G1 Spring Champion S. winner Ace High and the G1 Galaxy winner I Am Excited (Snitzel).
The latter was retained to race by Bell River, her 3-year-old daughter Still Excited (Lonhro) a yet-to-race member of the David Pfieffer stable whilst her second foal Farcited (Farnan) is with Waterhouse and Bott (his breeders remaining in the ownership) having fetched $1.2 million at this year's Magic Millions.
Farcited as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Sadly I Am Excited died only recently with her last of only three foals being a 2023 born filly by Zoustar.
Also amongst Bell River's stakes winner are the Group winners Chrysaor (Better Than Ready) who just recently won the Listed Vale Black Caviar H. at Flemington, Faraway Town (Not A Single Doubt), More Prophets (Smart Missile) and Prophet's Thumb (I Am Invincible).
Could it be that Bel Merci could end up being the best of all of them? Racegoers keenly await to find out!
