The big paydays kept coming for Ciaron Maher‘s brilliant The Everest winner mare Bella Nipotina as she drew well clear of her rivals at Rosehill on Golden Eagle Day for a comfortable win in the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m).

The event, formerly known as the Winners Stakes and renamed each year in honour of the previous season’s The Everest champion, ran under its new title for the first time in 2024 and saw Pride Of Dubai seven-year-old, Bella Nipotina, easily account for her rivals and continue her outstanding spring form.

“What a horse she is. She’s just an absolute marvel,” stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“She just loves racing. When you think you’ve seen everything with her, there’s more to come.

“They went quick today, she just travelled, just got there so easily and when she quickened. She was just different class today. I think she just keeps getting better. The more she races, the better she is. She’s just full of confidence, just loving life right now.”

Ridden by Craig Williams, the classy chestnut became the event’s first two-time champion following her Winners Stakes win last year and is now the second highest prizemoney earner in Australian racing.

This time she came via a historic $20 million The Everest success at Randwick when becoming the first mare to take out the world’s richest turf race.

She went around favourite in the 2024 Russell Balding betting markets, was settled third throughout as Coal Crusher and I Am Me egged each other on setting a hot pace up front, and then had plenty in the tank to power home once on the straight.

Relishing her on-speed stalking position, Bella was far too good for her counterparts hitting the lead with a furlong to go and drawing clear for a two-length success.

“I’ve got to thank Bella,” winning jockey Williams said.

“She’s just an amazing horse and I’m just privileged for the ride. We realised that she doesn’t speed up to other horses.

“We realised that over a period of time she just decreases slower than the rest of them.

“So that’s why she’s like a fine wine. It’s not the fact that she’s speeding past them, it’s just that they’re stopping before she does. And she’s just got the tenacity to keep on going. It’s really exciting.”

The Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald-trained Sunshine In Paris further franked The Everest form coming off her fifth to make up all the late ground from the back and place second in the Russell Balding.

It was an all-mares’ trifecta with the fellow Neasham & Archibald-trained mare, Lady Laguna, in third.

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