G3 Victory for Redwood Filly Bellatrix Black

Media Release - Saturday March 5

Lightly raced filly Bellatrix Black ($17.20) upset the applecart at Ellerslie on Saturday when she stepped up from a maiden victory at Tauranga at her last start to take out the Gr.3 McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m).

Bellatrix Black defeats Mustang Valley in the Gr.3 McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie Photo Credit: Trish Dunell

The Catherine Cameron-trained daughter of Westbury Stud stallion Redwood relished every step of the 2100m journey as she bullocked her way through the middle of the pack to down pacemaker Mustang Valley and Achieve in a desperate finish to the contest.

Ridden by Japanese-born rider Taiki Yanagida, who has only recently stepped into the senior riding ranks after serving his apprenticeship with the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott stable, Bellatrix Black looked to be travelling comfortably throughout before making a move to improve her midfield position at the 800m.

Blocked for a run rounding the home bend, Yanagida waited for a gap to appear centre-track before bursting through late to get the better of Mustang Valley by a head, with a further short head away to Achieve in third.

Advertisement

The 2100m journey was completed in a modest 2.13.21, with three-and-a-half lengths covering the first nine across the line, but the victory of Bellatrix Black was well and truly deserved.

Cameron had been cautiously optimistic about her chances leading into the race and was delighted to see the filly deliver on her promise.

“That was fantastic and a great result for her owners who rolled the dice and didn’t sell her after her last win,” Cameron said.

“It’s a great thrill for them.

“I was a little bit cheeky hoping she could run in the first five as she has just been a lovely filly to have as she is quite progressive.

“She is relatively fresh compared to some of these, so it was good to see that today.

“We hoped she could take the next step up and we were going to find that out today.

“She has had a cheeky nom for the New Zealand Oaks and we might have to trek to Wellington now, if she comes through this well.”

Bookmakers reacted quickly to the victory, shortening Bellatrix Black from a $31 chance in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks into the $10 fourth favourite behind the Jamie Richards-trained Self Obsession ($2.20).

Yanagida was all smiles after the win, which was his second on the day after guiding Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) candidate Swords Drawn to victory over 2200m earlier in the day

“She has just impressed me as she is such a tough girl,” he said.

“I was going to go to the outside, but the favourite (Glory Bound) came around us, so I saw the inside had opened up space and when she had run second at Te Aroha, she had run on well on the inside so I knew she could do it.

“Catherine and I had been talking that 2400m would be better for her, so she is going to perform well over that distance, I’m sure.”

Bred and raced by Dave McKerchar and Janet Alexander Bellatrix Black is the first foal out of Mastercraftsman mare Dark Arts and comes from an extended family that includes dual Group One winner Lotteria.

The Sunline Vase is the penultimate leg in the prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year series where Bellatrix Black has collected six points for her victory and now sits in the top ten on the points table which is headed by the Jamie Richards-trained Self Obsession (24) with the final race series being the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 19.

Redwood will be represented by four individuals during the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale that will be held from March 7-12 at Karaka. – NZ Racing Desk

Visit the profile page for REdwood

REdwood in upcoming sales:
Advertisment

Race Result - Sunline Vase Gr3 2100m

Ellerslie Track: Dead(4) Time: 2:13.21
1
Bellatrix Black
- 3f Redwood (GB) x Dark Arts (NZ) (Mastercraftsman (IRE))
Tnr: Ms C Cameron Rdr: T Yanagida 56.5
2
0.2
Mustang Valley
- 3f Vanbrugh (AUS) x Cream Of The Crop (AUS) (New Approach (IRE))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: V A Colgan 56.5
3
0.3
Achieve
- 3f Pierro (AUS) x Thee Achiever (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: R James & R Wellwood Rdr: R T Elliot 56.5
Pierro
4
1.6
Glory Bound
- 3f Tavistock (NZ) x The Tidy Express (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: S Autridge & K Shailer Rdr: S R Weatherley 56.5
5
2.4
Le Villi
- 3f Puccini (NZ) x Mapperley Magic (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: J R Wheeler Rdr: L J Allpress 56.5
6
2.6
Belle En Rouge
- 3f Burgundy (NZ) x Cavendish Belle (NZ) (Thorn Park (AUS))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: J Kamaruddin 56.5
7
2.8
Bigiff
- 3f Iffraaj (GB) x Bigmissy (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: G Richardson & R Norvall Rdr: A C Goindasamy 56.5
8
3.1
Outfit
- 3f Tivaci (AUS) x Costume (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: J Parkes 56.5
9
3.5
Miss Ella
- 3f Iffraaj (GB) x Zenella (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: M J Mc Nab 56.5
10
5.7
Invincibeel
- 3f Savabeel (AUS) x Matakana (NZ) (Mastercraftsman (IRE))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: K Asano 56.5
11
6.7
Cruisy Lass
- 3f Super Easy (NZ) x Thornbird Lass (NZ) (Thorn Park (AUS))
Tnr: C W Gibbs Rdr: L H Satherley 56.5
12
17.3
Thatsallshewrote
- 3f Wrote (IRE) x Lilyput (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: M Moroney & P Gerard Rdr: M Hashizume 56.5
More Reading...
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Melbourne Cup Winner for Extreme Choice – Rare Slice of History
This year’s $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) produced a genuinely amazing fairytale result for the connections of five year-old Extreme Choice gelding Knight’s Choice, but part of that fairytale is his sire Extreme Choice, who has carved out something seriously special as being only the second sire in history to produce the winner of a Golden Slipper and a Melbourne Cup.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.