Great Start to 2022 for Belardo

Premier racing at Ellerslie yesterday saw another raceday double for Haunui Farm stallion BELARDO (IRE) (Lope De Vega) with 2YO gelding Fellini (NZ) (Belardo) and 3YO filly Belle Luce (NZ) (Belardo) winning consecutive races at what is a major lead-up meeting to the Karaka Million Raceday in two weeks.

Fellini made it back-to-back wins yesterday, having been dominant at his previous start at Counties just before Christmas. Yesterday’s win was similarly dominant and saw him moved to the second line of betting for the Karaka Million 2YO on the 22^nd of January.

Trainer Jamie Richards commented after the race, “The win will set him up nicely for the Karaka Million in a couple of weeks and we’ve used this race before with our two-year-olds like AVANTAGE and ON THE BUBBLES, as a stepping stone.

“Whether he’s top draw like them, I’m not one hundred percent sure, but he’s a good, honest horse and he’ll show up here in thirteen days and give it everything.”

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Bella Luce’s win in the Norwegian Park 3YO 1200m held special significance with the filly being bred by Haunui Farm’s Administration Manager, Diane Rushworth and her partner Shane Voice. Raced on lease to a syndicate, the happy owners also include Haunui’s Receptionist/Office Assistant, Julia Cottle and Truck Driver, Kelvin Zimmerman.

Having jumped to initially sit handy, Bella Luce was given a gun ride by in-form apprentice Ashvin Goindasamy who got her to the best part of the track in the run home where she finished off strongly with a well-timed run to nab fellow Haunui graduate MAGNETO (NZ) (Showcasing) in the shadows of the post.

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Champion 2YO and First Season Sire BELARDO has certainly made a flying start to 2022 with a stakes winner in America – BELLEBEL – three raceday doubles and an impressive victory for potential Derby candidate, YEABOI.

BELARDO has his third Southern Hemisphere crop of yearlings set to hit the sales rings in the coming months and Haunui will present our best yearlings on type by him thus far at Karaka 2022 in early March. The Haunui yearlings will be available for inspection from the 20^th of January. Please call Mark – 021 663 995 – or Shannon – 0212 855 513 – to book a yearling parade.