Victorian breeders Robert and Deborah Anderson celebrated their first Group 1 when Bonaria fired a broadside against the best mares in training at Flemington on Saturday.

Bonaria blew punters away with a $26 victory in the G1 Myer Classic (1600m) but trainer Pat Hyland was overjoyed as she returned to scale at headquarters.  “I’ve had some very good fillies but she’s special,” Hyland said.  “She tries harder than any horse I’ve had.”

The Group 1 sent her value soaring for the Andersons.  “Rob and Deb are good friends and this is something very special,” 73 year-old Hyland added.  “I ride her every morning and have done since she came into the stable.”

The Redoute’s Choice mare has now earned $907,500 from 8 wins in 40 starts.  She had already struck at Group 3 level in the Matron Stakes and Schweppervescence Trophy at Flemington.

“I bought her dam Decidity off Ron Gilbert,” Robert Anderson recalled.  “I really like Last Tycoon mares and she was a perfect cross for Redoute’s Choice.

“She wasn’t a big yearling so I decided to keep her.  She didn’t show much at her first start and I thought she was only going to be average.

“I told Pat she needed more time and, as she got a little bit older, she got stronger and improved.  She’s got such a big heart.  I wish I had a team like her!”

Bonaria’s dam Decidity was bred by the late John Hoare at Devon Park Stud on the north-eastern outskirts of Melbourne.  He sold her to Gilbert for $70,000 at the 1995 Inglis Easter yearling sale.

Decidity had already thrown NSW stakes winners Legally Bay (Snippets) and Time Out (Rory’s Jester) before Gilbert sold her to the Andersons in 2007.

BONARIA
Owners Robert and Deborah Anderson with winning jockey Michael Rodd