RACING STAR BELLE IN RECORD WIN

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31276, 24 January 1967, Page 4

RACING STAR BELLE IN RECORD WIN

Little Opposition To Champion Filly (from Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON. Star Belle outclassed her seven rivals with a record-breaking gallop in the Wellington Derby at Trentham yesterday.

Mr J. Sarten’s Takanini-trained filly won coasting by six lengths. She ran the mile and a half in 2min 29|sec.

The previous best were Sobig and Mainbrace, which went half a second slower in this race, which until last year was named the Gloaming Stakes. Star Belle has now won eight races this season and is firmly established as one of the greatest of her age and sex to race in New Zealand.

She won the Great Northern Derby by four lengths,

but one of the surprises of the Auckland Cup meeting was her defeat by Dee Dee in the Great Northern Oaks. Dee Dee, the Great Northern Derby runner-up, was second again yesterday, but with the others she looked like a selling-plater in her fruitless attempt to get near a champion. Star Belle failed when tried as a sprinter in the Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton a week before her New Zealand Oaks victory, but she will be tried again over a short course in the £6OOO George Adams Han- 1

dicap at Trentham next Saturday. Her presence in that field will make the race a spectacular attraction. A filly of Star Belle’s class will have limited opportunities after her three-year-old racing, and her Takanini trainer, I. J. Tucker, is keen to take her to Australia in the spring. I. Medcalfe made it a race in earnest from the start when he allowed Felix Dee to bowl along freely in front. After running the first halfmile in 49 3-ssec the Anniversary Handicap winner was out by 10 lengths from Roman General, which had put a break of three lengths on Redaire and Nautical. R. J. Skelton had Star!

Belle in the next position after a gap of two lengths, just ahead of Exalt, Dee Dee and Del Charro. None of the others was any closer to Felix Dee at the half-mile, and the Castle Donnington colt was still out by eight lengths on the home turn. To the surprise of nearly everyone, R. J. Skelton was still sitting quite still on Star Belle there, but the champion showed her lovely action to lengthen stride without serious urging and she went to the post under a hold and clear by six lengths. Dee Dee beat Del Charro

by a short neck for second. Del Charro was having his first start since his purchase last week by the Sydney owner, Mr S. Fox. He is not

strong classic material, but his run from last to third showed his possibilities as a handicap stayer later. Roman General, the only South Island runner, was

fourth, the position he also filled in the New Zealand Derby. He was two lengths from Del Charro, but a neck ahead of Felix Dee and far ahead of the others.