Bellota snatches victory in Avondale Cup

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34022, 11 December 1975, Page 8

Bellota snatches victory in Avondale Cup

("The Press" Special Service) t&i AUCKLAND. Bellota. her 55kgs, Shifnal foal and all, rounded off a fine racing career at Avondale yesterday with her win in the $35,000 gold cup.

It was her second success since she was pronounced safely in foal to Shifnal in October.

The other time Bellota won was at Te Rapa in the Foxbridge Plate on November 15. tn between the two wins she came fourth in the Thames Valley Stakes, a 1600 m race at Te Aroha, the distance altogether too short for her.

Over the 2000 m of the FoxbriJge Place Bellato showed herself all heart when plucking a narrow win from Oopik.

This time as far as first and second were concerned it was the Foxbridge Plate again with Bellota once more edging out Oopik, which will surely never get so close in a big cup event without winning.

When Oopik cam to the front past the tiring leaders, Jan’s Beau and Skite, with some 250 m to go, he looked the winner especially as Tom’s Mate was in trouble trying for a run and Black Rod, down on the nside, all but climbed over the top of Jan’s Beau in an effort t■■ get! clear. NICELY RIDDEN Bellato, held up nicely by her rider. Bob Skelton, had sufficient left to collar Oopik 100 m out. For a moment Oopik looked likely to come back but Bellota held him safely to the finish though onl- by half a head. Tom’s Mate, clear at last, ran on gamely for third, a length behind Oopik, and Jandell, all over the place from

.the 200 m while trying to get igalloping ’room, was just [about alongside, fourth. Black Rod came next about in line.

Except for Rosie’s Girl the popular runners all went well. Warwick Robinson tried to settle Rosie’s Girl but Aimed his mount “pulled heself into the ground.” She was beaten before the home turn and sixteenth at the post. Bellota, a $3OOO buy as a yearling has repaid her owners, Mrs H. R. Robinson, of Auckland, and Mr R. J. Curlett, of Te Rapa, a great many times over and her worth as a brood mare is difficult to assess.

It has been a great season for her owners, who have Analight as well. She is out on lease.

This latest win added $21,000 in cash to Bellata’s stakes earnings, which now touch $76,000. Almost certainly Bellota will not be asked for much more. Once in foal she has no chance to race after Christmas. Perhaps this latest fine

achievement means she will not now be seen racing again. NO NOVELTY For R. J. Skelton the cup was just one more added to the great tally he has gathered in his 25 seasons of riding. He won the Avondale Cup only once before on Rainfall, but has taken other big races time and again — the Wellington Cup no fewer than five times.

The big race, led by Jan’s Beau from Skite, was run at a cracking pace through the first 1000 m in 59sec. They slackened after that, and the time for the 2200 m was 2min 13.6 sec, about a second outside the course record set by Jan’s Beau In November. 1973. Betting on the 20 runners In the cup amounted to $651,660, including 5400.562 on the double. COURSE RECORD Soliloquy, one of three horses produced by the Takanini trainer, R. C. Verner, for the second leg, the Stewards’ Handicap, ran her 14 opponents off their feet for a three-length victory in Imln 9.ssec, a track record for 1200 m. Avondale’s previous best for the course was Imin lOsec set by Pheroz Jewel, another trained by Verner just about 12 months previously. Of the three Verner-trained runners in yesterday’s $6OOO event Soliloquy was the least backed, being fifth favourite for a win and fourth favourite for a place.

I The other two were Blue I Blood, 3/5 on the win and place land Vibeke, 7/7. Blue Blood did pretty well to finish sixth but Vibeke made nt. impression and came in eleventh. Soliloquy from No. 5 barriei was almost immediately trailing the two leaders. She picked them up with remarkable ease once around the home turn and from there had the race to her self. Her Melbourne rider, H. i White, so lucky to draw her in : the ballot for mounts, had hardly i to do anything. Panagor, from Invercargill, 1 stuck on gamely for third, ’ passed only close to home by ’ Chrisarda. t