Selwyn_Times: May 11, 2022

Selwyn Times Wednesday May 11 2022
28
RACING
• By Dave Di Somma
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Monkey King: Race winner to useful hack
WHAT BELLA Partington
thought was going to be a one-off
“and just a bit of fun” has turned
into something much bigger.
Now the 22-year-old geology
student is thinking that she and
two-time New Zealand Cup
winner Monkey King could go
all the way to the Horse Of The
Year.
When she’s not studying Bella
is a yearling preparer at Dancingonmoonlight
in North Canterbury
– it’s an upmarket boutique
standardbred farm owned by the
Famularos.
And it’s there that she first met
Monkey King.
She was unaware of his heroics
on the racetrack where he won
39 of 95 starts, amassing stakes February Bella rode him for the
of $3,487,401.
first time. Monkey King had
When “Sam”, as he’s known, been ridden before but not for a
won his 10 Group Ones including
the 2009 and 2010 New
“There have been a few times
decade or so.
Zealand Cup Bella was just a when he is not entirely sure but
youngster. All she knew about I’ve always felt safe with him
the black gelding is that he had and he’s taken to it so well,” says
“a presence”.
Bella.
“He was in a paddock with 12 “He’s a kind and willing
broodmares and he was special, horse,” says Famularo, “and he
he had a beautiful trot and beautiful
conformation.”
Sam were just hacking around
just wants to please. Bella and
And that got her thinking that the paddock, he couldn’t have
maybe the now 19-year-old could cared less.”
have
263
a future in the show ring. Since then
x
Bella has taken
180
Sam
Bella discussed the idea with under her wing.
Sara Famularo, and in mid- He has moved from Dancin-
WILLING: Bella Partington in the show ring with two-time New Zealand Cup winner Monkey King.
gonmoonlight to her property
just down the road.
“It is a bit strange now not
having him here though Baileys
Dream is still here babysitting
the young ones,” says Famularo.
Baileys Dream was a milliondollar
earning stablemate of
Monkey King’s. Both trained by
Brendon Hill at Dancingonmoonlight
in the mid-2000s they
were a formidable duo.
Bella’s initial plan was to take
Monkey King to one show – just
so they could say they had done
it. That happened at the Selwyn
Equestrian Centre.
“He just blew me away,” says
Bella, “he won every single led
section, he was best presented . . .
and Reserve Champion.”
Such was his prowess that
Bella’s now thinking much
longer-term and is already eyeing
up more shows later in the year.
“I also got feedback from a
judge saying: ‘can’t wait to see
what the future holds – see you
at HOY’.”
To Bella the idea that they
might be good enough for the
Horse Of The Year was mindblowing.
“It was incredible – just the
greatest compliment.”
That is a long way off – HOY is
not scheduled until March 7-12,
2023, after this year’s event was
cancelled because of Covid.
There is a lot of work to be
done before then.
“We need to get his canter
sorted,” Bella says , “his left
hand rein is established but his
right hand canter needs some
work. Like a lot of standardbreds
he is not as balanced as he could
be.”
“He also needs to work on his
walk-trot-canter transitions.”
“I just want him to be happy
and enjoy doing what he’s
doing.”
– Harness News Desk
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