Bello Gallico scores the first win in Cape Town for a familiar set of silks (Picture: Wayne Marks)
The Glen Kotzen-trained Oldlands Stud-bred gelding Bello Gallico made it two wins in four starts at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today and put up his hand for a place in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, where he is one of 25 entries.
The Vercingetorix gelding is owned by Kenneth Pillay’s Kestorm Investments and it was the first time these well known colours had been carried to victory in Cape Town.
However, jockey Chad Little was in trouble with the stipendiary stewards on two counts, with an incident involving Vercicat being the one racing fans also noticed.
Bello Gallico started at odds of 9/4 with two other Cape Guineas entries, Above The Law and Ile Moris, at 28/10 and 6/1 respectively, while the R1.1 million three-year-old Vercingetorix gelding Vercicat was a 5/1 shot and the other three-year-old in the contest it’sgood It’snice was at 13/2.
Bello Gallico was taken to the front and was traveling well as chief market rival Above The Law sat in last place in the seven-horse field.
Coming off the false rail Vercicat went for a run on the inside of the pacemaker but promptly had the door slammed in his face by Bella Gallico, who drifted inward as Chad Little began driving him.
Craig Zackey had no option but to snatch his mount up. He was so severely hampered Zackey decided to ease him out of the race completely.
However, Bella Gallico kept on going well and finished half-a-length in front of a running on Above The Law with Ile Morice a two length third.
The stipendiary stewards report on the race included the following two points.
c) At the 250m, VERCICAT was bumped inwards, made heavy contact with the hindquarters of BELLO GALLICO and then had to be checked away from the heels of BELLO GALLICO. Thereafter, Jockey C Zackey did not persevere with his riding of VERCICAT. The Veterinarian was requested to examine VERCICAT.
The Stewards took evidence from Jockey C Little (BELLO GALLICO) and Jockey C Zackey (VERCICAT) regarding this incident and have adjourned to give this matter further consideration.
d) Jockey C Little was charged with a contravention of Rule 58.10.2 (read with Guideline C on the use of the crop) in that he struck BELLO GALLICO more than twice on consecutive strides. Jockey C Little signed an Admission of Guilt and was fined R1 000.00.
Nevertheless, Bello Gallico is proving himself a useful horse, because on top of his two wins he was also a 2,50 length third to the crack unbeaten filly Marchland in the Listed Konica Minolta SA ROA Stakes over 1600m on the Fairview poly.
Bella Galliico was a R140,000 purchase on a BSA Online Sale, despite being by Vercingetorix and a being a full-brother to the useful but problematic Hotarubi, who was rated 116 at one stage, but tends to only put it in when he feels like it.
The bookmakers were not overly impressed with his performance today and he is out at 50/1 for the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas.
The Hollywoodbets ante-post betting for this race is shown below:
FIERCENESS 6.25
CONTINUE THE DREAM 7.14
RAIN IN FRANCE 7.14
KALAHARI KING 7.14
TURN IT UP 7.14
AQUAE CALIDAE 8.33
RICH MAN’S WORLD 8.33
COAST OF THE SUN 8.33
VIBE CHECK 10
WILD AND FREE 12.5
VIVA ASTERIX 12.5
FISH TALES 14.29
RISING EAGLE 14.29
RUNNING SHOES 16.67
LE SOLEIL 16.67
RED SPICE 20
IMPOSE 20
BIG CITY ROLLER 20
HERO’S JOURNEY 25
ROSKILDE 33.33
UNCLE SAM 33.33
BACHATA 40
BELLO GALLICO 50
ILE MORIS 50
STEAMY WINDOWS 75
