From Hong Kong to home for Helena Baby
John Bell enjoyed a golden run with Helena Baby a few years ago before his exit to Hong Kong and has been pleased to welcome him back to his barn this year.
The grey son of Guillotine won five of his nine starts in his initial stint with Bell, including victory in the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) in 2019 and a placing in the Group I Tarzino Trophy (1400m) behind star mare Melody Belle. He then went to race in Hong Kong, where he placed twice in 14 outings and returned to Bell earlier this year.
Bell said Helena Baby didn’t handle the Hong Kong conditions and he has been pleased with the way the seven-year-old has settled back into his old surroundings, posting two placings from three starts this time in. ‘‘He went to Hong Kong and it didn’t suit him at all, the tracks are rather hard there, but he ran a couple of nice races,’’ Bell said.
Helena Baby heads to Te Rapa today to contest the Group I Turf Bar Sprint (1200m) but Bell said his major target is the Opunake Cup.
‘‘He is giving most of them a lot of weight [on Saturday],’’ Bell said. ‘‘We are more concentrating on trying to win the Cup race down in Taranaki [Opunake Cup], which he won before he went to Hong Kong.’’
If he were to perform well in the Opunake Cup, Bell is considering a return to Hastings to tackle the first leg of the Hawke’s Bay triple crown.
A stablemate that could join Helena Baby on his interregional trips is last start winner Cleese, who will line up in the Mark Sanders Memorial (2100m) at Te Rapa today.
‘‘It is race four and depending on what happens there, whether he goes to the front or comes from behind. He is nicely weighted and we will see what happens there,’’ Bell said.
‘‘He is another one that I want to head to Taranaki with as well.’’
Bell is also looking forward to lining up Hot Salsa in the J F Grylls Memorial Classic (1500m). He has finished runner-up in two of his last three starts and Bell is hoping the son of Tavistock can go one better this weekend.
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