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First southern hemisphere stakes winner for Belardo
Having made an exceptional start with his two-year-olds in the northern hemisphere, Haunui Farm shuttler Belardo (Lope De Vega) added a further string to his bow when he sired not only his first winner, but first stakes winner in the southern hemisphere and fifth overall when Avonallo (2 c ex Real Angel by O'Reilly) landed the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) Riccarton on Saturday.
The Jamie Richards-trained two-year-old colt had finished second on his previous two starts behind Follow Your Dreams (Contributer), but he was able to turn the tables with his old rival when he beat him by a decisive two lengths. Global Beauty (Highly Recommended) was another length and a quarter away in third.
Richards had been pleased with the progress the colt had made since having his first start back in early October and was expecting the rise in distance to favour him.
“I’ve been really happy with him as he has kept improving,” he said.
“When a baby like him keeps putting on weight well into their preparation, it’s always a good sign.
“He’s never left any feed the whole way through and it has all come together at the right time.”
A NZ$30,000 purchase from the Little Avondale Stud draft at the Book 2 of this year’s New Zealand National Karaka Yearling Sale by co-owner Chris Rutten, Avonallo has now qualified for the Karaka 2YO Million (RL, 1200m) at Ellerslie in January, with Richards keen to give him a short break before setting him for the race.
“He will go home now and have ten days in the paddock,” Richards said.
“We’ll probably run him a fortnight out from the Karaka Million and then he can go into the race from there.
“He’s a very athletic horse who has a lot of scope and there is more improvement to come.”
Rutten was on hand to witness the victory and was impressed with what he saw.
“We thought that more ground would help him but you just never know on the day,” he said.
“Opie and Jamie have both done a great job so credit to them.
“This is great fun and we know our way (to Ellerslie) for Karaka Million night, so we’ll be there.”
The colt is out of the unraced O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Real Angel, who is herself a half-sister to dual Listed winner Marquardt (Shamardal).
Further back this is the same family as fellow Listed winner McGuane (McGinty).
In 2019 Real Angel produced a filly by Tivaci (High Chaparral). She was sold for NZ$800 at the Gavelhouse online auction in April to Mitch Blackwood.
Avonallo joins Isabella Giles, Lullaby Moon, Elysium and Belloccio as the stallion’s other stakes winners and he stands at Haunui Farm for a fee of NZ$10,000 (plus GST). The son of Lope De Vega (Shamardal) will be represented by six two-year-olds at next week’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run sale which gets underway on Wednesday.
