Priory Belle


Priory Belle was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed her best form as a two-year-old in 1995 when she won two of her three races including the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. She failed to win in three starts in 1996 and was retired to become a broodmare. She had some success as a dam of winners, with the last of her foals being born in 2005.

Background

Priory Belle was a chestnut mare bred in Ireland by Tom Lacy. During her racing career he was trained by Jim Bolger and raced in the colours of the County Kilkenny-based Ballylinch Stud. She was ridden in all but one of her races by Kevin Manning.
She was from the first crop of foals sired by Priolo, a top-class miler who won the Prix Jean Prat, Prix Jacques Le Marois and Prix du Moulin. The best of his progeny included Sendawar, Mirio, Brilliance and Tigertail. Priory Belle's dam Ingabelle showed considerable racing ability, winning the Phoenix Sprint Stakes as a four-year-old in 1988 and was a very successful broodmare, producing Eva's Request and Wild Bluebell as well as the dam of Chriselliam. She was a female-line descendant of Princess Sublime, making her a distant relative of Protection Racket.

Racing career

1995: two-year-old season

Priory Belle made her first racecourse appearance in a minor race run over six furlongs on firm ground at Fairyhouse on 9 August. Starting at odds of 3/1 in a five-runner field she won by three quarters of a length from the Aidan O'Brien-trained Cashel Princess. Seventeen days after her win at Fairyhouse the filly was stepped up in class and distance for the Listed Debutante Stakes over seven furlongs at Leopardstown Racecourse and finished second of the eight runners, beaten one and a half lengths by the Dermot Weld-trained Dance Design.
Pat Gilson took the ride when Priory Belle moved up into Group 1 class and started a 16/1 outsider for the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh. The British-trained filly Zelzelah started favourite ahead of Dance Design and Rouge Rancon with the other nine runners included Tamnia, My Melody Parkes and Catch a Glimpse. Priory Belle tracked the leaders as her stablemate Ceirseach set the pace, but began to make good progress in the last quarter mile. She took the lead inside the final furlong and came out on top in a closely contested finish, beating Tamnia by three quarters of a length with My Melody Parkes, Dance Design, Rouge Rancon and Rithab finishing just behind. Just over two lengths covered the first six finishers.

1996: three-year-old season

On her three-year-old debut Priory Belle ran on ground softer than she had previously encountered when she contested the Athasi Stakes at the Curragh on 27 April and came home fifth of the seven finishers behind Proud Titania. Four weeks later in the Irish 1000 Guineas she was sent off at odds of 25/1 in a twelve-runner field and although she never looked likely to win but stayed on well in the straight to finish fifth behind Matiya. In une she was sent to England for the Coronation Stakes in which she was able to run on firm ground for the first time as a three-year-old. Starting a 16/1 outsider she finished last of the seven runners behind the French-trained Shake The Yoke. She did not race again and was retired at the end of the year.

Breeding record

After her retirement from racing Priory Belle became a broodmare for the Ballylinch Stud. She produced at least eight foals and four winners between 1998 and 2005: