Believe Yourself returns to Aust racing

An Australian stakes winner who has more recently been Group One-placed in Singapore will be out to continue Tulloch Lodge’s run of Ballarat Cup day success.

Five-year-old Believe Yourself makes her return to Australian racing in Saturday’s City of Ballarat Tonks Plate (1200m), having been away for the past two years after starting her career in Sydney with Gerald Ryan.

Believe Yourself was sent back to Australia by owner Tomohiro Sekiguchi to continue her career with Gai Waterhouse and her new training partner Adrian Bott after this year’s Singapore Derby (2000m) in which she ran 10th.

“We’ve had an association with the owner and he’s raced a number of horses with the stable,” Bott said.

“He sent that filly up to Singapore early on and did indicate he intended on bringing her back down eventually.

“We’re delighted that she’s returned and it would be great to see her get a nice result for him.”

Believe Yourself is Waterhouse and Bott’s only runner at Saturday’s meeting at which Waterhouse has trained a winner for the past three years.

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The Offer won the Ballarat Cup in 2013, Carriages won the Magic Millions Clockwise Classic in 2014 while Waterhouse had three runners last year and won a support race with Show A Star.

Believe Yourself was fourth in the 2014 Golden Slipper after winning the Sweet Embrace Stakes.

She won three of her 12 Singapore starts with her best feature race result a third in this year’s Group One Patron’s Bowl (1600m).

Believe Yourself has a good fresh record and is on the second line of betting at $4 having won a recent Cranbourne barrier trial.

“We’re really happy with the way she’s come back and it will certainly tell us a lot more with where she’s at and the best way forward with her from here,” Bott said.

“No doubt she’s a quality mare and hopefully even over the autumn we can see a bit more from her and it would be nice to see her add some further black type to her page in time.

“She’s certainly forward enough for tomorrow’s test but looking through her form in Singapore, she certainly seems to excel once she’s getting up in trip and out to the mile.”