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Belloccio retains unbeaten record in Criterium du Languedoc

Haunui Farm shuttler Belardo (Lope De Vega) chalked up his fourth first-season stakes winner on Wednesday as Belloccio (2 c ex Three Cards by Mastercraftsman) landed the Criterium du Languedoc (Listed, 1600m) at Toulouse. 

Last seen making a winning debut over a mile at Salisbury on October 1, the David Menuisier-trained colt took the step into stakes company in his stride when beating Cirona (Maxios) by a length and a quarter. Kergrist (Milanais) was another neck away in third. 

The colt was purchased by his trainer for €62,000 at the Arqana October Deauville Yearling Sale from the Coulonces Sales draft and he is the first winner out of unplaced Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer) mare Three Cards, who is herself a daughter of winner Be My Lady (Be My Guest). 

Be My Lady produced eight winners, headed by Group 2 scorer Bathyrhon (Monsun) and Listed winner Beiramar (Monsun). 

Further back this is same family as multiple Group 3 winner Banyumanik (Perugino) and Listed-winning duo Bella Amica (Black Sam Bellamy) and Banyu Dewi (Poliglote), while the latter produced Group 2 winner Brigantin (Cozzene). 

Belloccio joins Group 2 winner Isabella Giles, Group 3-winning pair Lullaby Moon and Elysium as the stallion’s other stakes winners. 

A winner of the Dewhurst Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) and the Lockinge Stakes (Gr 1, 1m), Belardo is the only son of Lope De Vega (Shamardal) standing at stud in Australasia and he is being offered to breeders at a fee of NZ$10,000 (plus GST).