Royal Buys With Gatewood Bell

[Wandering Eyes]

Gatewood Bell enjoyed a fruitful Royal Ascot last year with his Wesley Ward-trained runners for Hat Creek Racing, and the agent is back this year with Chelsea Cloisters (First Samurai), the favourite for the G2 Queen Mary S. The TDN‘s Gary King caught up with Bell to learn more about the filly.

GK: Chelsea Cloisters (First Samurai), purchased for $125,000 at Fasig-Tipton July, is currently 9/4 favorite for the G2 Queen Mary S. What impressed you about her as a yearling?

GB: Her attitude and athleticism. She was just real laid back and smart and she walked with that purpose like she was going somewhere without any wasted action. Also, her second dam is by Green Forest so that pretty much made her a ‘must have.’

GK: Did you purchase her with ‘Royal Ascot 2-year-old’ in mind?

GB: I’m not that smart. I bought her for my racing club and to go to Wesley, though, so that is always the dream. The ingredients were there I guess but he is the key one, along with a lot of luck.

GK: Will you have a big team over from Hat Creek Racing?

GB: Yeah you’ll definitely know we are in the house. We’ve got a fun crew coming over to experience it all. Some are veterans like Undrafted and a few are first timers like Chelsea Cloisters. No one has had a bad experience there yet.

GK: Spanish Pipedream (Scat Daddy) was fourth in the 2014 G2 Queen Mary S., while Sweet Emma Rose (City Zip) finished second in 2013, both owned by the syndicate. Does Chelsea Cloisters remind you of those fillies at all?

GB: She’d be more similar to Spanish Pipedream-a very pretty, athletic filly that had that natural talent. She was unlucky and chipped her knee during her Queen Mary and still finished fourth somehow. We never saw how good she could have been. Hopefully Chelsea Cloisters has similar talent and a little more luck–she’ll need both next week.

GK: What’s the best thing about having a runner at Royal Ascot?

GB: It’s one of the great festivals of international racing and literally has everything to offer. The racing is second to none, the pageantry, the spectacle of it all, the hospitality, the carpark, the history–I could go on and on. It’s a truly special place and sharing that experience with good friends is tough to beat whether you win or lose.

GK: And tasting victory with Con Te Partiro (Scat Daddy) in last year’s Listed Sandringham H. must have been extra special?

GB: It sure was. A special filly and an extra special ride made for a pretty amazing Wednesday. We sure celebrated like it would never happen again!

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