Dynasty’s magnificent daughter Bela-Bela stamped herself as South Africa’s leading 3yo filly at Greyville on Saturday with a breathtaking display to run down her opposition and win the R1 million Gr1 Woolavington 2000 going away.
Good looks. Royal racing blood. The temperament of a superstar. And oodles of natural ability. What more could anybody ask of a racehorse?
Anthony Delpech shows his delight as Bela-Bela doddles in
The Cheveley Stud-bred Bela-Bela’s got the whole lot – and plenty more.
In what amounted to something of an acid test and a crossroads to her future, Bela-Bela grabbed the high road – eliciting a ‘she’s just behind Igugu in terms of the best fillies I have ridden,’ from her champion rider Anthony Delpech.
Racing in the famous white and scarlet of leading breeders Varsfontein Stud, she was allowed to coast in midfield as Gauteng challenger, and stakes bridesmaid, Negroamaro carted them along. When asked, Bela-Bela showed her character and electric turn of foot catapulting through off a modest gallop at the 300m to win going away by 1,75 lengths in a time of 125,39 secs.
For her loads of supporters, she started at a relatively attractive even money and gave the high-riding Anthony Delpech a feature double after Balance Sheet had won the Lonsdale earlier.
It was a great run given the slow pace and Bela-Bela emphatically proved her age group superiority – with only SA Fillies Guineas disappointment Silver Mountain and SA Oaks winner Juxtapose not pitching up.
Trainer Justin Snaith said that Bela-Bela was as quiet as a lamb in the saddling process.
Justin Snaith – full of praise for Bela-Bela
“Good horses just do everything right,” he said with a broad smile.
Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Negroamaro made it a grey exacta with a gutsy showing to cling on for second, a head in front of the 28-10 shot Nightingale, who was given every chance by jockey Grant Van Niekerk.
Gauteng Guineas winner Heaps Of Fun was not disgraced in fourth and will win her fair share of races.
The Joey Soma trained Fortissima failed to reproduce her storming SA Oaks run and was beaten 10,85 lengths out of the money
Sadly, the Judpot filly Ruler Of The Sky broke down in running.
The Cheveley Stud-bred Bela-Bela was purchased by Varsfontein Stud at the National 2yo sale for R1,4 million.
She has won 4 races with 1 place from 6 starts and took her stakes total to R1 083 125. That excludes the BSA Added Value Stakes Bonus of R152 500.
The smart winner is by Dynasty and hails from an outstanding winning female line.
Anthony Delpech says Bela-Bela is up with the best
She is out of the prolific winner producing Royal Academy mare, Mystic Spring, whose champion sire, a Breeders Cup Mile winner, left behind no fewer than 167 stakes winner.
Mystic Spring’s dam, Secret Sunday, was a full sister to Mystiko – who gave Michael Roberts his first British classic when winning the 1991 English 2000 Guineas.
Mystic Spring’s best runner was ill-fated champion Rabiya, who tragically suffered a fatal break down in the running of the 2005 Durban July. Before his untimely death, Rabiya had won over R1 million, and landed both the Gr1 Cape Guineas and Gr2 Cape Derby, as well as Gr1 Daily News 2200.
Secret of Victoria won four features, including the Cape’s two graded sprint races for fillies – the Gr2 Sceptre Stakes and Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes.
Bela-Bela will be a major attraction when she next appears on July day. That is certainly something every racing fan will be looking forward to.
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Gr1 Woolavington 2000 (SAf-Gr1)
Greyville, South Africa, May 28, R1 million, 2000m, turf, good, 2.05.39
1 – BELA-BELA (SAF), 60.0, b f 3, Dynasty (SAF) – Mystic Spring (IRE) by Royal Academy (USA). Owner Varsfontein Stud (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr J S Kalmanson); Breeder Cheveley Stud; trainer J Snaith; jockey A Delpech
2 – Negroamaro (SAF), 60.0, gr f 3, Fort Wood (USA) – Touch Of Tuscan (SAF) by Al Mufti (USA)
3 – Nightingale (SAF), 60.0, b f 3, Silvano (GER) – Quickwood (SAF) by Fort Wood (USA)
Margins: 1.75, 0.10, 0.25
