Clarken Racing | Clarken Racing News 53099 Bella Vella Sights Set On Another G 1

For the second time in her life, Bella Vella is aiming to go from breeding barn to Group 1 glory and, again, Will Clarken has been charged with making it happen.

While that first mission was ultimately successful, the Adelaide-based trainer still concedes there were mistakes he's learned from for the sequel.

"I know we thought in a much lower grade she was ready to go first time out for us and she wasn't, she wasn't near ready," Clarken said.

"I know this time we have to give her lot of galloping simulation before we take her to the races because she's going to have to compete at a higher level straight away."

Bella Vella was purchased at the Magic Millions broodmare sale last winter by Rosemont Stud for $1.9 million but failed to get in foal, despite all relevant tests showing no issues.

She first went to the barn in 2018 and was unsuccessfully covered by Criterion, a champion horse who was later discovered to have significant fertility issues as a stallion.

She'll return to the breeding barn this spring but, given she was showing she'd lost none of her zest for racing, connections opted to put her back in work to pass time with a goal of another G1 Sangster Stakes win.

"She's going to have a lot of jumpouts, she's had two already and I think she'll have five trials before she goes to the races," Clarken said.

"With a long layoff, we've just got to switch her back on again.

"There's no pressure at all because Mitho (Rosemont Stud's Anthony Mithen) and I have the same mindset, that the horse is 100 per cent the first priority.

"She has to go out there and not just run but be ultra-competitive first-up and, if she's not, she'll be going straight back to the paddock and waiting to get covered again next season."

Bella Vella will make her return on April 23 ahead of what is hoped to be a Sangster run, second-up, on May 7.

She'll trial for the final time a couple of weeks prior to her race return, although it's planned that final trial will feel just like a race to the G1-winning mare.

"It'll be 1000-metre trial on a big track at Morphetville and Murray Bridge and it'll be handlebars down," Clarken said.