Roo rises to challenge

BENDIGO mare La Bella Roo is racing in career-best form, according to trainer Peter Boynton.The daughter of Bel Esprit burst on to the scene as a three-year-old in the spring of 2008, winning her first two starts before placing twice in Melbourne.Her career stalled when she went winless for 14 months, but this preparation has been the making of the now five-year-old.Three starts ago she was an impressive winner over 1100m at Caulfield, before running a luckless second under lights at Moonee Valley when she charged home along the rails from last after missing the start.She made up for that second placing with a brilliant win at Moonee Valley last Friday night in a heat of the Essendon Mazda 955m Challenge.“She’s never been a horse I’ve been able to keep up for very long,’’ Boynton said.“You’d get two good runs out of her and then she’d start to go off.“I can’t put my finger on why she’s stayed up this time in, but she’s just thriving at the moment.“She’s holding her weight and racing better than she ever has.“She used to be so hyperactive. I probably used to do too much with her and she wanted to do everything full bore.“I’m walking her a lot more now and it seems to be paying dividends.”La Bella Roo was renowned for being a leader in her races, but this preparation she’s raced best when travelling just off the speed.“At Caulfield she sat five deep and kept going,’’ Boynton said.“I’ve always wanted a race to pan out for her and that happened on Friday night at the Valley.“She sat back and had the last crack at them and she really got home strong.”La Bella Roo’s time of 55.48 seconds for the 955m is the quickest so far in the Essendon Mazda Challenge.The series runs through Moonee Valley’s night racing season until the end of March.If La Bella Roo’s time remains the fastest, Boynton wins a $55,000 Mazda 9 motor vehicle.“I’m the clubhouse leader at the moment, but there’s a long way to go yet,’’ he said. “It gives me a good reason to watch the night races from now on.”La Bella Roo now has a career record of six wins and seven placings from 23 starts.The mare has earned her owners, a syndicate of Kangaroo Flat lawn bowlers and cricketers, a touch more than $144,000 in stakemoney.Boynton plans to give La Bella Roo a month off before returning to the racetrack.“She’s pulled up well, but the Bel Esprit breed race better on the fresher side,’’ he said.“She’ll have a short break and we’ll pick a race out for her at the end of the month.”