Bellatrix Star dispels wet track theory in Scarborough Stakes
New Zealand-bred mare Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) proved she is just as effective on a sound deck as she is a soft one when running out a dominant winner of the Scarborough Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at The Valley on Friday night.
Having proven herself a sprinter to follow when landing the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Pukekohe and running fourth in the Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m), the latter being her final start in New Zealand, the Mark Walker-trained Bellatrix Star has improved for every start in Australia to date.
A first-up fifth in the Quezette Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Caulfield on August 17 was followed by success in the Cap D’Antibes Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on September 14, where she seemed to appreciate the Soft 7 conditions at Flemington.
Lining up at The Valley on Friday night, on a track officially rated a Good 4, Bellatrix Star was sent off a $9 chance under Michael Dee and, having sat in a perfect position just behind the pacesetters, pounced in the home straight to take the lead and stay on well to beat Geegees Mistruth (Wordsmith) by 0.8 lengths for a ready victory.
There was a further 1.5 lengths back to the third-placed Tobeornottobe (Pierata).
“It’s a massive confidence booster for us that she can do it on both good and soft tracks,” Walker’s Cranbourne assistant, Ben Gleeson, told Racing.com.
“She won dominantly last start, but for her to put that field away here and improve and show that she is up to a better level gives us a real confidence boost.”
Gleeson revealed that he was not overly concerned about the move from a soft track to a good track for the filly prior to Friday night’s contest.
“Not concerned [about the track],” he said. “I thought she’d trained on [as a three-year-old] and Mark and I both thought she had improved in her condition, her work hadn’t been exceptional, but seeing that heavy track just gave us confidence at Flemington.
“There had been rain this week and we thought ‘oh perfect we’ll get a soft track’, it didn’t turn up, but Mick gave her a ten-out-of-ten ride, had her in the box seat, and she just showed her class.
“John [Galvin, owner] for what he spends on horses does an amazing job, finds a great syndicate of people and consistently buys a very good horse, whether it is in New Zealand or here, so every year you see Fortuna turn up with a good set of silks on a nice horse, so really pleased for John Galvin.”
Bellatrix Star was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for NZ$80,000 out of Phoenix Park’s 2023 New Zealand Book 1 Sale draft on behalf of John Galvin’s Fortuna Syndications.
“She really showed us as a two-year-old in New Zealand that she had ability,” Galvin said.
“She didn’t get all favours in the Karaka Million when fourth and then she went shin sore so we didn’t run her in the two Group 1 races in the autumn.
“Mark Walker said to me in July I think we should take this horse to Australia because she’s an out-and-out sprinter and I think she’ll be better suited over there. So that’s what we’ve done and now we’ve won two really good races in a row, so we’re pretty excited.”
Galvin’s Fortuna Syndications have had great prior success when bringing horses across the Tasman to Australia, most notably landing the 2019 Empire Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington with Melody Belle (Commands), one of the mare’s 14 career Group 1 wins.
“Melody Belle won 14 Group 1s, whereas this filly is still only a Group 2 and Group 3 winner, but they’ve all got to start somewhere,” Galvin said.
“This is a big stage and we’re really happy. Apart from a couple of syndicate members who already live over here, the rest live in New Zealand so it’s always great to come to Australia, particularly Moonee Valley, and win a big race like this.”
Bred by Rob Dunnett, Bellatrix Star (3 f Star Witness – Alana’s Party by Exceed And Excel) is the best of two winners from the Exceed And Excel (Danehill) mare Alana’s Party, herself a half-sister to the Group 3-placed winner Petition (Foxwedge) with the pair being out of the Group 1-winning mare The Party Stand (Thorn Park).
Having cost Mark Pilkington Management just $17,000 at the 2021 Magic Million National Broodmare Sale when carrying Bellatrix Star in utero, Alana’s Party has a two year-old colt by Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit) that was bought by David Ellis for $280,000 at this year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale from the Newhaven Park draft, who has been named Royal Rendezvous. Last year, the mare foaled a colt by Nicconi (Bianconi).