Bellatrix Star Retired

Group One performer Bellatrix Star has been retired from racing following a second fibrillation episode and will be offered for sale as a broodmare prospect on Inglis Digital next month.

She was initially purchased by Te Akau Racing principal Sir David Ellis, on behalf of Fortuna Racing, out of Phoenix Park’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $80,000, and joined the Matamata barn of trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson.

A precocious juvenile, the daughter of Star Witness was a convincing 4-1/4 length debut victor over 800m at Wanganui, just a month into her two-year-old season. She went on to place in her next two starts, including runner-up in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m), before winning the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Pukekoke on New Year’s Day.

She would have what would be her final start in New Zealand in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie later that month, where she finished fourth behind Velocious.

Following her pleasing two-year-old season, the decision was made to test her talent in Australia as a spring three-year-old, and she joined Te Akau’s Cranbourne barn.

She ran fifth in her first start across the Tasman in the Gr.3 Quezette Stakes (1100m), but she made her presence felt in her next three starts, winning the Gr.3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) and Gr.2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m), before running second to now Coolmore-based stallion Switzerland in the Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Derby Day.

Bellatrix Star would then have a series of unfortunate events, which began in January last year when she fractured vertebrae in her neck after rearing and falling over when heading back to her stable, and while she made a miracle recovery from that, she had to undergo surgery following her returning run in the Listed Doveton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield last November.

“In January last year she had that very unfortunate fall where she flipped over backwards and broke a vertebrae in her neck,” Fortuna’s John Galvin said. “At the time the vet said she would never race again but Mark Walker (trainer) worked his magic, and we were able to rehabilitate her.

“She went through a preparation with long paddock spells and a bit of dressage. When she resumed racing at Caulfield in late November, she just ran below par and the next morning we found that she had a chip in a fetlock.

“That was removed and it took some time after that for rehab and to her back going again.”

Bellatrix Star’s troubles weren’t over, with a veterinary examination prior to what was meant to be her resuming run at Caulfield in May finding her to be fibrillating, resulting in her subsequent scratching.

With no further signs of fibrillation, she was cleared to race and resumed with a pleasing runner-up effort in the Gr.3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield last month. She was then freshened, and while preparing for next month’s Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) she suffered a second heart fibrillation and the decision was made to retire her.

“Bellatrix Star has been a wonderful performer for her large ownership group,” Galvin said. “She delivered winning performances in New Zealand as a two-year-old and performed brilliantly in Melbourne in the spring of her three-year-old season.

“Sadly, this fibrillation issue reared its head again and in the very best interests of the horse, she is to be retired and offered for sale as a broodmare prospect.”

Bellatrix Star retires the winner of five of her 13 starts, with earnings north of A$1 million.