Bellatrix Star Wins Again
Date: 28 Sep 2024
Racing.com reports:
In-form filly Bellatrix Star has backed up her recent win on a rain-affected surface with another stakes victory, this time on a good-rated track under lights at The Valley.
A Group 2 winner last season in New Zealand, the Mark Walker-trained Bellatrix Stakes has campaigned in Victoria this spring and her victory in Friday night’s G3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) was her second in three starts so far this season after also taking out the Listed Cap D’Antibes (1100m) at Flemington last start.
Jockey Michael Dee was able to get Bellatrix Star into a nice spot just off the leader in Friday night’s race for three-year-old fillies before looming up strongly three-wide coming around the home turn.
Bellatrix Star ($9.50) put the race away early in the home straight and went on to defeat Tasmanian filly Geegees Mistruth by three-quarters of a length, with Tobeornottobe another 1-1/2-lengths away third.
Dee said Bellatrix Star was racing in great form.
“She improved again off last start, so tonight probably the question mark was a firmer track,” Dee said.
“She was able to get on soft ground at Flemington last time, which she probably prefers but this just shows that she’s got a lot of versatility.
“And onwards and upwards from here.”
Bellatrix Star took her overall record to four wins from eight starts and Walker’s Cranbourne-based assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said it was a “confidence-booster” to see the filly step up again after her Flemington win.
“She obviously won dominantly last start, but for her to put that field away again and improve and show that she's certainly up to maybe a better level, gives us a really good confidence booster," he said.
Photo credit - Michael Dee returns to the mounting yard aboard Bellatrix Star after winning the Scarborough Stakes ~ photo by George Salpigtidis/Racing Photos
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