BELLE EN ROUGE

A daughter of the late Burgundy, Belle En Rouge was bred at Te Akau Stud by David Ellis CNZM and Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM.

In recent years, they have offered shares to Te Akau owners in one or two of the best weanlings bred by them.  This has turned out to be great for her owners - the Te Akau Beautiful in Red Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

Belle En Rouge has come a long way in a short time - a trial winner before her debut on 3 September 2021, she finished second to the high profile colt Hoodlum at Egmont in  Maiden 3YO 1200m in the hands of Te Akau apprentice Joe Kamaruddin.

Later in September, she was held up at a vital stage at Cambridge and flew late for third, only beaten a  head/long neck in a Maiden 3YO 1300m.

Heading to Taupo on 6 October 2021 to again tackle a Maiden 3YO 1300m, she dominated, running away to win by 3 lengths when ridden by Danielle Johnson in a Pearl Series' Bonus race - providing a boosted return to her owners.

She followed this up with a spirited showing to stablemate Imperatriz when third in the $80,000 Group 3 Soliloquy Stakes at Matamata on 23 October. In the event over 1400m for 3YO fillies, with Sarah McNab aboard, she only went down by a long head/short head.

That earned Belle En Rouge a tilt at the $300,000 Group 1 Barneswood Farm NZ 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on NZ Cup Day, 13 November 2021.  In a stunning result which delivered a Te Akau first four hime, Belle En Rouge ran out of her skin for third charging home in the hands of Michael McNab.

Allowed time to spell in the South under the care of Lydia Truesdale, after an exhibition gallop, it was decided Belle En Rouge would tackle the $80,000 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes 3YOF SW 1600m at Awapuni 'on her way home' to our Matamata base.

What a top decision that was - on 11 December 2021, she snared Group 3 victory to add to her previous Group 1 and Group 3 placings. It was very special too to see our stable apprentice Joe Kamaruddin record his first career stakes' win in the process!

The winning continued for this classy filly as on Boxing Day 2021, Belle En Rouge claimed the $120,000 Group 2 Jamieson Park Eight Carat Classic 3YOF SW 1600m with Opie Bosson aboard - one of three stakes' winners for the stable on the day.

Things didn't go her way in the $110,000 Group 2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic 2000m at Te Rapa in February when sixth, and then sixth again in the Group 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase at Ellerslie on 5 March 2022.

Nevertheless, sitting second on the NZB Filly of the Year leaderboard behind stablemate Self Obsession the team decided her final start for the season would be in the $400,000 Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks 2400m on 19 March 2022 at Trentham with Jason Laking in the saddle.

It was to be the scene of her greatest victory - not only did she win the Group 1 NZ Oaks at odds of $26, following in the footsteps of Te Akau's previous winners Princess Coup and last year Amarelinha (both NZB Fillies of the Year), she also earned sufficient points to dead-heat for the title of NZB Filly of the Year with Oak's runner up and stablemate Self Obsession.

An auspicious day for Te Akau at Trentham that day - with five stakes' races programmed, Te Akau won three of them (including the two Group 1 races), and was runner up in the other two - in fact delivering a first four home in the Group 1 Levin Classic (just as the stable did in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas in November 2021) and the quinella in the Group 1 NZ Oaks.

The new season saw Belle En Rouge battling off-tracks due to the adverse weather in New Zealand but as the tracks improved she began to return to her dangerous best.

She was fourth in the $90,000 Listed Karaka Classic 1500m at Counties on 1 November 2022. She then flew home to be runner up to stablemate Campionessa in the $140,000 Group 2 Rich Hill Mile at Te Rapa on 1 January 2023 at Te Rapa when ridden by Australian jockey Dean Yendall.

Yendall returned to take the mount aboard the mare at Trentham on 14 January 2020 and the partnership went one better - with the 4YO claiming an impressive victory in the $100,000 Group 3 Dunlop & Dixon Anniversary Open Hcp 1600m.

Belle En Rouge (known as Jane) has raced 18 times for five wins, a second, and eight placing - with stakes' earnings of $491,580.