Bellypha

After finishing fourth on his racecourse debut Bellypha recorded his first success at Deauville Racecourse in August when he won a maiden race over 1400 metres. He then won a minor race over the same distance at Longchamp Racecourse. On 10 October, Bellypha was moved up in class to contest the Group Three Prix Eclipse over 1300m at Saint-Cloud Racecourse. He started the 5/2 second favourite in a field of ten runners, but finished fourth, three and a half lengths behind the Aga Khan's colt Ramanouche. On 4 November Bellypha started at odds of 9.6/1 for the Group Three Prix Thomas Bryon over 1500m at Saint-Cloud. He produced his best performance of the year, taking the lead early in the straight and drawing away in the closing stages to win by four lengths from the François Boutin-trained Sharpman, with the filly Water Lily half a length away in third.[5]

Bellypha was regarded as a potentially top-class middle distance performer and made his first appearance as a three-year-old in the Prix de Guiche over 1950m on soft ground at Longchamp on 16 April. He produced a strong late run but failed by half a length to catch the favourite Top Ville. He was brought back in distance for the 1600m Prix de La Jonchere, a Group Three race at the same course on 10 May. Starting the 3/10 favourite against seven opponents he won easily by four lengths from Maraway.[6]

Despite doubts about his stamina, Bellypha was given another chance to prove himself over middle distances on 3 June when he started the 8/1 third favourite for the Group One Prix du Jockey Club over 2400m at Chantilly. Freddy Head moved the colt into a challenging position in the straight but could make no further progress, finishing fourth behind Top Ville, Le Marmot and Sharpman. Jackie Taillard took over from Head when Bellypha reappeared in the Prix Daphnis over 1800m at Evry Racecourse at the end of the month. The colt started at odds of 1/5 against moderate opposition and won by four lengths.[6]

While Top Ville and Le Marmot appeared the best of their generation in France over middle distances, the leading miler was Irish River, who had won eight of his ten races including five at Group One level. Bellypha met Irish River for the first and only time in the weight-for-age Prix Jacques Le Marois on 12 August at Deauville Racecourse. The two colts dominated the closing stages, drawing away from the other runners before Irish River prevailed by a neck. Head lodged an objection to the winner for causing interference but the racecourse stewards allowed the result to remain unchanged. Thirteen days after his defeat in the Marois, Bellypha started 1/2 favourite for the 1600m Prix Quincey in which his main rivals appeared to be the British runners Camden Town (Jersey Stakes) and Topsy (Prix d'Astarte). Head tracked the pacemaker River Bank before accelerating 300m from the finish and won easily by two and a half lengths from Topsy.[6]