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First stakes success for Belardo as Isabella Giles dominates at Goodwood; Princess Kereru ready for Foxbridge Plate
First stakes success for Belardo as Isabella Giles dominates at Goodwood
Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Belardo registered his first stakes success over the weekend with two-year-old filly Isabella Giles scoring in impressive fashion at Goodwood.
Isabella Giles enhanced her position as the leading light from the maiden crop of Belardo as she provided him with his first stakes win in the G.3 Ladbrokes Prestige Stakes (1408m).
The filly already boasted victories at Leicester and Newbury and had finished fourth to Santosha (Coulsty) in the Gr.3 Princess Margaret Stakes (1200m) at Ascot last time.
This time rider Adam Kirby had the rest of their rivals under pressure from some way out and Isabella Giles powered clear by an impressive seven length victory.
Based at Kildangan Stud in the Northern Hemisphere, Belardo, the European champion two-year-old, began shuttle duties at Haunui Farm in 2017 and is standing his fourth season at the Karaka farm in 2020.
Belardo stands for a fee of $10,000 + GST and has covered 314 mares over his first three seasons at stud in New Zealand.
Princess Kereru ready for Foxbridge Plate
A brisk workout over 1000m between races at Tauranga on Saturday has quality sprinter Princess Kereru ready for her first-up assignment in the Gr.2 Valachi Downs Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa this coming Saturday.
The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained mare has come on in leaps and bounds from her fourth placing behind Catalyst in an open 1100m trial at Taupo earlier in the month with Ken Kelso pleased with the progress she has made.
"We've given her the two exhibition gallops and a trial to get her ready and she's pretty forward for the Foxbridge," he said.
"She worked nicely at Tauranga over the 1000m with Sherwood Forest.
"She was actually supposed to follow him and Loire but when Loire held them up and wouldn't go, we went with Sherwood Forest instead.
"We're happy with her and safely through Te Rapa she will then go to the Tarzino Trophy (Gr.1, 1400m) at Hastings."
Kelso also advised that star mare Supera would have a hit-out at the Te Teko trials next Thursday before starting fresh-up in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) on September 19.
