Le Belle a winner at last

CONSISTENT racemare Le Belle Bijoux (Art Major) broke through for a well-deserved harness racing win at Melton.

Ewa Justice slotted the mare into her customary position sitting parked outside the leader and $2.60
favorite Captains Catch, and despite reeling off a 27.7 back straight quarter, the daughter of Art
Major levelled up on the home turn.

Once in the home straight, the Kari Males prepared Le Belle Bijoux ($5) was relentless in her pursuit
of the line and held off the fast finishing Hugo Maguire by a neck in a mile rate of 1:53.5.

SHE'S TOUGH! 💪
The Kari Males-trained Le Belle Bijoux raced without cover and was still too strong, winning the Logical Staffing Solutions Pace tonight with Ewa Justice taking the reins. pic.twitter.com/szaOv7uRaC

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) July 6, 2024

Le Belle Bijoux had been placed in seven of her attempts at metropolitan success and Males agreed
the win was long overdue.

“She has been knocking on the door for a while now,” Males said.

Males agreed the six-year-old lacks the necessary dash to win races on a more regular basis.
“She has the toughness but just doesn’t have that high speed so you have to put her in the race, but
you can’t drive them like that all the time,” she said.

“If they go slow and sprint home she can look horrible and then when they run along she gets home
over the top of the them.”

Males said Justice suits the mare’s racing style.

“Ewa has been driving her really well and understands her,” she said.

“She’s as honest as the day is long and tries hard so we’ll just keep her poking along in the right
races,” she said.

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink