3 minute read
Graceful Girl wins Raconteur Stakes
The Bob Peters owned and bred Graceful Girl (3 f ex Avenida Madero by Metal Storm) broke through for her first stakes victory with a comfortable one and half length victory in the Raconteur Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Belmont on Saturday, becoming the 23rd stakes winner for Nicconi (Bianconi) who will stand at Widden Stud’s new Victorian based this spring.
Under a supremely confident William Pike ride, Graceful Girl came from midfield on the fence in the run before switching back to the fence in the straight and eventually switching out from behind the long time leader Billy Ain’t Silly taking the lead inside the final 50 metres and drawing away.
Graceful Girl becomes the third stakes winner for her Group 2 winning dam Avendia Madero who has also produced Western Australian Derby (Gr 2, 2400m) winner Respondent (Haradasun) and Group 3 winner State Solicitor (Nicconi).
Bob Peters is the second leading breeder in Australia by stakes wins with 17 for the season to date. He has bred ten individual stakes winners this season headed by the Group 1 winners Celebrity Queen (Redoute’s Choice), Truly Great (Dundeel) and Arcadia Queen (Pierro).