Racing: 16-race winner Bella's Boy dies

Former top juvenile pacer Bella's Boy has died.

The winner of 16 races, Bella's Boy won six of nine starts as a two-year-old in Australia and New Zealand, including the Breeders' Crown Final in Bendigo, Victoria, for then trainer-driver Tony Herlihy.

As a three-year-old the son of In The Pocket took out the group one Victoria Derby at Moonee Valley.

Bella's Boy was subsequently sold to American interests, posting a best winning time of 1min 52sec for one mile (1609m) while racing in the northern hemisphere.

On his return to New Zealand in 2004, Bella's Boy was trained by Michael House and won a further three races including the 2005 Junior Free-For-All at Addington and the $20,000 Ashburton Cup.

Bella's Boy stood at House's stud farm in Christchurch, Double E Stables, and served 19 mares in his brief career as a sire.

- NZP