Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Prominent owner Rob Tomlinson raced New Zealand-bred mare Elena S with considerable success just over a decade ago, and now he is enjoying the deeds of that mare’s second foal Bellezza Nera.
Elena S raced 59 times for nine wins, 20 placings and stakes of $97,549, and Bellezza Nera improved his record to seven wins, 23 placings and $67,120 when Serpentine trainer Dylan Egerton-Green drove him to a narrow victory in the 2130m The Nullarbor The Road To Riches Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bellezza Nera, who is by American sire Rock N Roll Heaven, resumed racing last month after a five-month break and finished seconds to Carana at Northam and Cloud Nine at Gloucester Park before contesting Friday night’s event.
He was a $10.10 chance from the No. 2 barrier, and he led for the first 400m before Duty Bound took over, with Egerton-Green happy to take the trail.
After a third quarter of 28.1sec. Bellezza Nera got on terms with Duty Bound 300m from home, and the two pacers raced stride for stride until Bellezza Nera got up in the final stride to win by a half-head after a final 400m in 29.1sec.
Elena S’s first foal Major Pocket raced 140 times for 24 wins, 58 placings and $338,046 in prizemoney. He was a smart two-year-old who finished second to The Real Ideal in the Westbred Classic and second to Mitch Maguire in the Golden Slipper in July 2016. He won 13 times in WA before going to America where he won another eleven races.