OFF TO CALIFORNIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 169, 21 July 1941, Page 8

OFF TO CALIFORNIA

BELLE CANE FOR U.S.A. STUD BRILLIANT BEAU PERE FILLY The outstanding three-year-old filly of the current season in New Zealand, Belle Cane, is to leave to-day for Auckland, where she will be shipped to San Francisco to join the stud of Mr. Louis B. Mayer, film magnate and owner of a large-scale thoroughbred establishment in California. New Zealanders will regret the loss of such a brilliant filly, but Belle Cane should prove an excellent advertisement for the Dominion’s breeding industry in the country of her adoption.

Offered at the Trentham yearling sales in January, 1939, on behalf of her breeder, Mr. Frank Armstrong, “Akitio,” Belle *Cane was then the brown filly by Beau Pere from Duck’s Egg (Absurd—Tame Duck), her dam being a half-sister to Admiral Drake (Auckland Cup winner) and Francis Drake (winner of the G.N. St. Leger, A.R.C. Royal Stakes, Wellesley Stakes, C.J.C. Welcome Stakes, Wellington Stakes and A.R.C. Easter Handicap). She was secured by Mr. W. J. Smith, wealthy Australian manufacturing magnate and sportsman, for 275 guineas, and she has proved one of the bargains of the sale-ring. At the same sales Mr. Smith, who had paid 3300 guineas for Beau Pere, sire of Belle Cane, had purchased in all ten yearlings. , and when one of his New Zealand friends seated beside him hinted that he would not be able to handle so much young stock, Mr. Smith immediately offered to lease one of the fillies. Thus Mr. P. A. O'Neill, secured a two-year lease of Belle Cane. That lease was to expire on July 31, but Belle Cane finished her three-year-old racing career when she won the Great Northern Oaks at Ellerslie last Easter. A renewal of the lease was not obtainable as Mr. Smith had other plans for the filly, who was originally destined for his own stud at St. Aubins, New South Wales. Probably the fact that Belle Cane was a comparative failure as a two-year-old was responsible for the care that was taken in giving her plenty of time to build up for her three-year-old career. She was turned out in a paddock without any dry feed, as it was Mr. O'Neill’s opinion that in the summer months a horse does not require hard feed on rich country. During the winter Belle Cane was sent to W. H. Dwyer at Wanganui to be trained for her three-year-old career, and thus she became the stablematc of Sir Beau, perhaps the most brilliant of the early season’s three-year-old colts. On the strength of a brilliant trial with Sir Beau, Belle Cane was backed with the utmost confidence in her first start, the first division of the Maiden Race at the Wanganui meeting at Awapuni. She was never extended to win by five lengths. That was the forerunner of six wins in her first seven starts, from maiden company to classic success. She won in turn the Trial Plate and the Pearce Handicap (beating Serenata, N.Z. Cup winner) at Trentham, and the Spring Plate and the N.Z. Oaks at Riccarton. Immediately prior to the last-named win she had been beaten out of a place in the Derby, but it was the general opinion that she was a certainty beaten. At her next start she won the Manawatu Cup, and after failures in the Railway Handicap and G.N. Derby at Ellerslie she beat all but Kindergarten in the Wellington Cup. In her next six starts she did not get nearer than third (in the Awapuni Gold Cup), but she finished the season with a success in the Great Northern Oaks, having won in all £2840 in stakes. Her record as a three-year-old reads. 17 starts for seven wins, one second, a third and two fourths. Belle Cane's career at the stud in California will be followed with interest. The price at which she has changed hands has not been disclosed, but K ran well into four figures. She will be entrained from Fordell this afternoon, having been turned out at Mr. O'Neill’s farm on Warrengate Road for some months.