Bell Note Unlucky In Stakes

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31168, 19 September 1966, Page 4

Bell Note Unlucky In Stakes

Astral Flight,. Bell Note, and Red Copy, members of three long-established southern speed families were the first three heme in the McLean Stakes, at Wingatui on Saturday.

Astral Flight dodged trouble in a rough race and won by half a length, but all the honours were with Bell Note, which made a spectacular weaving run through gaps close to home after being third to last at the straight entrance. Astral Flight is owned by his Central Southland breeder. Mr S. P. Vickery and trained at Wingatui by D. G. O’Neill. He is by Astra which, when owned by the late Mr G. J. Barton, ran third in the McLean Stakes in 1959. Like Winning Flight, the 1941 winner. Astral Flight belongs to the Francolin family, which produced a rich crop of speedsters in the south over a long period. Astral Flight was the eighth favourite and paid £2O 15s 6d to win. Bell Note, the unlucky runner-up, is a daughter of Bellborough and Fair Note, the latter the runner-up in the McLean Stakes in 1960. Lyndall, the grand-dam of Bell Note, had better fortune. She won the race in 1943 and her daughter. Rondel, left the 1962 winner, Rondabelle. Red Copy, the each-way favourite, ran into trouble early in the race behind Kinki, which had been badly galloped on and finished with severed tendons in one leg. It was surprising that Kinki could finish the race, and even more surprising that he finished near the middle of the field. He was not far behind the stronglysupported Riccarton filly, Tahu Koura. which dodged the trouble early, but showed

nothing of the dash that had characterised her runs in two-year-old sprints at Riccarton and Ashburton. Heffs, the fourth favourite, ran an even race for fourth just ahead of Red Copy’s stablemate. Stephanair. £32 Course Double Bellburn and Grey Satin won an on-course double with an Anderton flavour at Wingatui on Saturday. Holders of 259 5s tickets on this combination received £?2 3s 6d for £l. Bellburn, a narrow winner of the first leg, the Trial Stakes No. 1, was ridden by B. A. Anderton Grey Satin, easy winner of the St. Kilda Improvers’ Han dicap, is trained at Wingatui by Anderton’s father. H. A. Anderton, for White Brothers, of Omakau. Bellburn’s gameness was tested to the utmost. He was in front five furlongs from home but had to meet a sustained challenge from Roman General. Then there were strong late challenges from Watallan and Fair Behaviour. This made for a spectacular finish in which half a head a head, and a neck separated the first four horses. Honours of the race were with Watallan. which dwelt at the start, and had to make a big run to reach a handy position.