Yorkshire Dales stars as Bell claims double

WELLINGTON: Cambridge trainer John Bell enjoyed a top day out at Rotorua yesterday when he produced a winning racetorace double.

Bell claimed the feature race on the programme with underrated galloper Yorkshire Dales, who triumphed over 1215m in open company.

The 7yrold gelding was having his first run since closing his previous campaign with a tidy effort for fifth in the group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Allowed to find his feet during the early stages by rider Craig Grylls, Yorkshire Dales travelled up strongly approaching the home bend before dashing to the front shortly after straightening

Grylls kept his charge up to the mark as they lasted to score by a neck from Woodville visitor Casaquinman with race favourite Te Toro Pearl in third.

‘‘He’s a happy horse who is going very very well and you will see a lot more of him,’’ Bell said.

‘‘We’re going to look after him and pick our races one at a time.’’

Yorkshire Dales did his early racing in England where he was successful in two of his five starts before being sold to Hong Kong where he failed to fire in his only run before being transferred to Bell’s stable where he has now won four of his 10 New Zealand starts.

One race earlier, the Belltrained Helena Baby indicated he could be in for a profitable winter when he cleared maiden ranks in effortless fashion over 1400m.

Runnerup in his first two starts, the Guillotine 4yrold never gave his race rivals a lookin as he led all the way in the hands of rider Donavan Mansour.

‘‘He’s a nice horse who is going to go right through the grades,’’ Bell said. — NZ Racing Desk