Make Believe’s Believe in Love too strong in G3 Prix Belle de Nuit

0Proving she was more than just a high-class handicapper when third in Doncaster’s G2 Park Hill S. on Sept. 10, Koji Maeda’s Believe In Love (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) proved that was no aberration as she registered an ultimately bloodless win in Saturday’s G3 Prix Belle de Nuit at Saint-Cloud. Markedly on the upgrade when successful in competitive handicaps at Goodwood and Newmarket prior to her Park Hill effort, the bay was nobody’s secret here as the 9-10 favourite and Mickael Barzalona was keen to wait in mid-division and allow the action to play out up ahead.

Moving smoothly to the lead with a furlong remaining, she was pushed out to secure a 3/4-of-a-length verdict over Pontille (Fr) (Whipper) which failed to tell the whole story. They didn’t go
very fast early and when the tempo started to increase at halfway she was travelling very smoothly, her rider explained. When she came between horses, she did it easily and won well so I think she is capable of a step higher. Believe In Love is the second pattern-race winner out of the Listed Prix Rose de Mai runner-up and G2 Prix de Malleret third Topka (Fr) (Kahyasi {Ire}) after the G2 Prix Hocquart scorer Top Trip (GB) (Dubai Destination). This is the family of the triple G3 Premio Chiusura winner Salselon (GB) (Salse), the G1 Queen Elizabeth S.-winning sire Markofdistinction (GB) (Known Fact), the G1 Prix d’Ispahan hero Laverock (Ire) (Octagonal {NZ}) and the six-times Group 1-winning champion Pierro (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}). Topka’s filly foal is by Jukebox Jury (Ire).

Originally appeared in the Thoroughbred Daily News on October 25th 2020

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