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Clark hoping Belle tolls in Tatt’s Tiara

Fresh from his Stradbroke Handicap triumph, Tim Clark has set his sights on another Queensland feature.

GRINZINGER BELLE.
GRINZINGER BELLE. Picture: Racing Photos

An opportunity to link with the fresh horse on the scene has convinced Tim Clark to pin his final Group One hopes of the season on Victorian-trained mare Grinzinger Belle in the Tattersall's Tiara.

Clark, who won his second Stradbroke Handicap two weeks ago aboard War Machine, has never ridden Grinzinger Belle in a race but having assessed her form, he is warming to the four-year-old having the right profile for the final major of the 2024-25 racing term.

"My manager was keen. He had a look at the potential make-up of the field and she is the fresh horse on the scene," Clark said.

"The mares that have been racing up there have been taking turns a bit and there isn't a lot between them, so we looked outside the square a bit."

A four-time winner at Group level in Victoria, Grinzinger Belle was given a freshen-up after finishing midfield in Fangirl's Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in April.

Prior to that, she had led throughout to comfortably claim the Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley and she is a two-time winner over the 1400m Tattersall's Tiara journey.

She also has a good record fresh and Clark expects her on-pace racing style to be advantageous.

"A few of the mares' races up there have lacked a bit of speed and she is one who is going to make her own luck," he said.

"She likes to run along and break a field up. Hopefully we can end the season with another Group One."

Trained by Danny O'Brien, Grinzinger Belle is an $11 chance in pre-nomination markets with the Chris Waller-trained Firestorm a $3.50 favourite.