Breeding & Racing Magazine

Veloce Bella Wins NZ Travis Stakes

In New Zealand, Windsor Park Stud's 6-time champion NZ sire Volksraad (Green Desert-Celtic Assembly, by Secretariat) added a group success (& plus 3rd-placing) when 5YO mare Veloce Bella (Volksraad-Wave To Lottie, by Crested Wave) scored a 0.75-length victory in the NZ$100,000 weight-for-age Gr2 Travis Stakes (2000m) for fillies & mares at Te Rapa. Veloce Berlla (ridden by Opie Bosson for trainer Mark Brosnan) defeated favoured fellow 5YO mare Culminate (Elnadim-Solstice, by Marceau) & 4YO mare Gin Dartre (Volksraad-Rapida, by Senor Pete). Veloce Bella (passed-in as a yearling for NZ$20,000 at the 2005 NZ Bloodstock Select Sale) took her record to 7 wins (also including 2007's Gr2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Classic over 2000m at Te Rapa & Gr2 Eight Carat Classic over 1600m at Ellerslie, as well as 2006's Gr2 Avondale Guineas over 1600m) & 8 placings (including last start's Gr1 NZ Bloodstock Breeders Stakes over 1600m at Te Aroha on April 4 & February's Gr1 Whakanui Stud International Stakes over 2000m at Te Rapa, plus 2007's Gr1 New Zealand Oaks over 2400m at Trentham & Gr3 NZ Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes over 1600m at Trentham, as well as 2006's Listed Great Northern Foal Stakes over 1400m at Ellerslie & Listed NZ Bloodstock 2YO Fillies Stakes over 1200m at Te Rapa) from 28 starts for NZ$418,400 earnings.