THE Michael Smurfit-bred Mystic Spring added yet another big race winner to her name when Bela-Bela galloped into the Durban July picture with a devastating turn of foot in the Woolavington 2000 at Greyville eight days ago.

The Royal Academy mare may not have been any great shakes on the racecourse – it took her seven races to get her head in front, and even then it was on the all-weather at Wolverhampton – but she has become one of the most successful broodmares in South Africa for generations.

Her previous progeny include Rabiya, who won the Daily News, Cape Guineas and Cape Derby and broke a leg when hot favourite for the 2005 Durban July, while Secret Of Victoria was a star sprinter who has produced triple Group 1 winner All Is Secret. Many of the now famous mare’s other offspring have won group races.

Her latest star, by the 2003 Durban July winner Dynasty, has won four out of six so far and the grey fairly sprinted away when Anthony Delpech pressed the button half a furlong out in the 10 furlong Group 1.

“Igugu was the best filly I have ever ridden but this could be the second best,” Delpech reported. “I switched her off early and she was half asleep turning into the straight. When I asked her, she just quickened. It’s lovely to ride horses that have got a turn of foot like she has.”

Delpech is due to ride stable companion and 4/1 favourite Black Arthur in the country’s greatest race, and the colt impressed in an 11-furlong workout before racing. The former champion seemed taken aback when he was asked if he could separate him from Bela-Bela. “Jeez,” he replied. “I don’t want to talk about that. It would be a difficult decision.”

Justin Snaith also hedged when asked if Bela-Bela would be in the field on July 2nd, saying: “That’s not an easy question to answer and we are going to have to discuss it but I never had any doubts that the distance here would be a problem (the July is a furlong farther). When they are good they can sprint, they can stay, and they can do anything you ask of them.”

However the bookmakers have already made up their minds and make Bela-Bela 13/2 second favourite.

CONSIDERATION

Snaith also has 8/1 shot Its My Turn under consideration and the Cape Derby winner (another by Dynasty) came within a quarter of a length of beating Rabada in the Daily News 2000, the other Group 1 on last Friday’s card. Rabada had beaten Black Arthur by half a length in the Canon Guineas early last month.

The Daily News, indeed the Woolavington too, was run at a pretty funereal pace but Anton Marcus reckoned that suited Rabada who he sent to the front fully two furlongs from home. “It negated any concern we might have had about him seeing out a true-run 10 furlongs,” he explained. “In fact I dropped my stick at the top of the straight and from then on I was just flicking him with my reins.”

Marinaresco is also high up in the July betting at 7/1 although, unlike the others mentioned above, there were fears that his rating was not high enough to get him into the race. However the log published on Monday puts him safe at number 18. There are 20 runners but the last two places are wild cards named by a selection panel. The Silvano gelding is trained by Mike Bass, who will retire at the end of next month.

Marinaresco won the Winter Guineas before landing the Winter Classic over a furlong further in a common canter, with rider Grant van Niekerk declaring: “This is probably the best horse I’ve ridden. He is so good he gives me goose bumps.”

First win in SA

CARRIE Bow Cay, by Fastnet Rock and bred by Barronstown out of a Sadler’s Wells mare, won a mile Kenilworth maiden on her fifth South African start. She was brought to South Africa by Mary Slack, because of her pedigree and after failing to win in six outings for Tommy Stack.

Red Ray back in action today

SPRINTING star Red Ray, who travelled to Dubai and Britain via Mauritius, is now back in South Africa and has first race for 16 months in the Tsogo Sun Sprint at Scottsville today. Marcus rides him for Joey Ramsden.