 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1963
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1963 NZ DERBY STAKES
Bellajily brought a welcome change of luck to her Templeton trainer, C C Devine, and owner-breeder N Matyasevic, when she came out on top in a close finish to the New Zealand Derby Stakes on Wednesday night.
Bellajily's effort was full of merit, as she started from the outside of the front line, and was a good way from the lead in the middle stages. She ran three wide from the half-mile and was forced four out racing to the straight. Bellajily responded in the gamest fashion to urging on the part of driver D J Townley, who drove Rupee to win the race in 1952.
Bellajily is the first filly to win the race since Scottish Lady was successful in 1942, and the sixth since the race was first run at Addington in 1923. Bellajily had paced a good race for fourth in the NZ Metropolitan Challenge Stakes on the first day of the meeting, and she has proved by far the best filly of her age group. She paced the mile and a half journey in the smart time of 3:12.6. The leaders took 61.6 for the first half mile and 29.8 for the final quarter.
As a two-year-old last season, Bellajily drew attention to her future prospects when, making her first race appearance, she led practically all the way to win the Invitation Stake at Geraldine, beating Rocky Star and Lady Luronne. Later, Bellajily finished a good third to Peerswick and Meadowmac in the NZ Welcome Stakes at Addington, and she finished up the term with a useful fourth in the NZ Sapling Stakes.
Bellajily is a bay fillyby Van Dieman from Malabella (3:11.6), by Doral's Derby-Mala, by Red Shadow-Krina, by Jewel Chimes. Krina, who was a smart saddle mare with a 2:08 record, also produced Rerekohua, Ngarimu, Air Spray, Lady Spray, Sprayman, Son's Gift and Stronghold.
Wildwood Chief did well to get second, as he was not too well placed early, and he, too, had to race wide entering the straight. Peerswick made a game attempt to lead all the way, and he showed courage to hold third place. Lochgair was pushed back at the start, and his fourth placing was a capital performance. He appeals as a pacer of fine potential. Grande Garnison, who started from the second line, was securely pocketed most of the way, and did not get a run in the straight until the race was over. He was fifth to finish.
La Scala, Scottish Advance, Heriot and Lochgair lost ground at the start, and Peerswick was the first to show out from Lottery Song, Khraizon, Full Sovereign (three wide), Falstaff, Space Cadet, Wildwood Chief, Grande Garnison and Bellajily, with two lengths to Lochgair and Melanian. The order changed little until the half mile, where Bellajily was beginning to improve. At this stage Peerswick was still in command, and he led into the straight from Lottery Song, Khraizon, Full Sovereign and Bellajily. Lochgair and Wildwood Chief were showing up wide out, with Grande Garnison having no-where to go down on the inner. Bellajily was the first to challenge Peerswick, and then Wildwood Chief put in his claim, with Lochgair closing fast. All four place-getters were responsible for first class efforts, and Grande Garnison would lose little caste as a result of finishing no closer than fifth.
The record mile and a half time for a three-year-old filly is the 3:11.4 registered by Wendy Dawn when she finished fourth to Tactile, Vanderford and Garcon D'Or in last year's New Zealand Derby.
Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar