Belles Fast has rivals gasping

New Plymouth two-year-old Belles Fast showed special qualities to street her rivals in a record-breaking victory at Pukekura Raceway yesterday.

Following the Boof Fleming Memorial (1000m) at the Taranaki Thoroughbred Racing meeting, winning rider Michael Walker described Belles Fast as a "machine" with huge potential.

The Fastnet Rock filly overcame her outside barrier draw to spear to the lead, before leaving her 10 rivals gasping. She soared home to win by 4 1/2 lengths in a track record time for a two-year-old of 57.86 seconds.

It may have just been a maiden two-year-old success, with a stake of just $8000, but the performance had recognised judges searching for superlatives.

"She was super impressive," winning trainer Allan Sharrock said.

"To do what she did [starting from the outside draw and then being taken on in front in the middle stages] she was entitled to stop in the straight.

"She's pretty smart."

Belles Fast is bred to be good being a half-sister to former champion two-year-old of the 2000-01 season Flying Babe, who had six wins and earnings of just on $500,000.

Belles Fast cost Hawera farmer Eddie Bourke $450,000 at the Karaka premier yearling sale in February.

Bourke races the speed machine with partner Jenny Washer, along with Hawke's Bay Racing chief executive Jason Fleming, his mother Moira, who is the widow of former shareholder Boof Fleming, Bourke's daughter Nicola and her husband Mathew Eliason, of Kaponga, and Ashburton vet Alan Piercy, who is formerly from Taranaki.

The same partnership races the talented three-year-old Keyora, which won the Hawke's Bay Guineas and Wellington Guineas earlier this season.

"That win, in a race named after Boof, was a real thrill and special for all of us, especially for Moira and Jason," Eddie Bourke said.

"We could have started her before this race, but we purposely kept her for this race."

Belles Fast will be set for the $1 million Karaka Million (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 31, for which she is now qualified.

Sharrock said the filly might have her next start, and final lead-up race to the Karaka Million, in a $15,000 two-year-old race at Ellerslie on January 16.

"That will give her a chance to race right handed before the big one."

Belles Fast finished fourth on debut on a slow 8 track when starting a $1.80 favourite at Otaki in her only other race.

"The wet track beat her that day," he said. "She never handled it one bit."

Sharrock lined up 10 runners on his home track yesterday and finished the day with two wins – his other was Backofthecup – while stablemates Latino Lady, Hi Flo and Late Cuddle were runners-up and appeared unlucky not to add to the winning tally.

Sharrock races Backofthecup in partnership with New Plymouth lawyer Paul Carrington and local publican David (Doc) van Praagh.

"They're out playing golf at Fitzroy," Sharrock said as he pulled out his cellphone to relay the good news of Backofthecup's maiden success in the hands of Opie Bosson.

"This morning Doc told me to tell Opie if he wins he won't have to pay for a drink all night."

- © Fairfax NZ News