Group Three Double for Belardo Boy (NZ)

Karaka graduate Belardo Boy (NZ) (Belardo) has taken to his career to new heights in the first two months of the new season, collecting his first two wins at Group Three level.

The five-year-old added Saturday’s $100,000 Hunterville Vet Club Metric Mile (1600m) at Awapuni to his brilliant victory in last month’s $100,000 Winter Cup (1600m), and he has now won eight of his 30 starts and banked $260,702 in prize-money. He was bought for only $28,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2020.

Belardo Boy produced an outstanding performance on Saturday, settling near the back of the field before launching an irresistible late run down the outside of the track in the hands of jockey Joe Doyle.

“He got in with a nice weight today (54.5 kilograms) and relaxed a treat from a nice draw,” trainer Lisa Latta said. “Joe can ride light, and that is a big assist because he is riding very well.

“I’m not convinced this horse is a true heavy-tracker, but it’s a spring heavy track today which he can handle.

“We will probably go to the Thompson Handicap (Group Three, 1600m) at Trentham next. He’s starting to get up in the weights now, but we will look to go there, because he goes so well at Wellington.”

With a stake of $100,000, the Thompson Handicap will be run at Trentham on October 21. Latta won the same race last year with another Karaka graduate, He’s A Doozy (NZ) (Zacinto), who went on to add the Group Three Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) and the Group One Thorndon Mile (1600m) later in his spring and summer campaign.

Saturday’s Metric Mile produced a Karaka quinella, with runner-up Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed) being a $60,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2019. His 21-start career has produced six wins, 10 placings and $264,942 in stakes.