How good was that and how close was that?
What a horse Bellinger has proved to be for the VIC Husslers.
“Belli” went with a whisker of pulling off a well-planned upset in the final of the $105,000 Gytrash Series Final at Morphettville on Saturday, only to be denied by the fast-finishing Validated who stormed down the middle of the track to catch him right on the finish line.
NO COMPLAINTS
And while a win would have secured the VIC Husslers the $10,000 First Prize CASH for month 1 of Season 3, there were certainly no Husslers complaining about the effort from their own warhorse.
Starting at $11, he wasn’t in the conversation of most commentators pre-race, but they probably don’t know the fighting qualities of Bellinger like the VIC Husslers do.
He rarely runs a bad race and as trainer Ben Hayes said post the narrow defeat, Bellinger doesn’t know how to give up.
“He ran a super race today, we are very proud of how he went, unfortunately he was a winner everywhere but the line, one late (Validated) just got over the top of us.
“We had to be a little bit patient but when the runs came he really took them and attacked the line and certainly loves Adelaide.
“That one would have been a ripper to win, very frustrating but this horse is going fantastic at the moment,” Hayes said.
“He’s done a massive job, brave as, very consistent and he’s doing a terrific job” Jockey Alana Kelly
BRAVE RUN
Bellinger left the barriers well but struggled to hold his spot with jockey Alana Kelly drifting back to near last, in fact on the home turn he probably had the entire field in front of him until Alana went searching for runs.
“Probably just go held up for one stride on the corner while we were waiting for that gap to open up, but every gap I pointed him at he took it bravely.
“He probably put in two short steps just before the post but he’s done a massive job, brave as, very consistent and he’s doing a terrific job,” Kelly said.
NEXT STEPS
The Hayes camp will see how Bellinger pulls up on his return from Adelaide before picking out another suitable target.
But fair to say that Bellinger lost no admirers with his second placing, in fact, he may have gained some more fans.
Horses like Bellinger are hard to find. He’s now had 24 starts for 5 wins, 6 seconds, and 3 thirds for the Vic Husslers, so it’s no wonder ‘Belli’ is a team favorite.
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