Shane Edwards has plenty on his plate at present but off-track dramas haven’t affected the form of the Perth Cup winning trainer.

Edwards has been granted a stay of proceedings against a 12 month disqualification which will allow him to continue training until February 4 when his appeal will be heard by the WA Racing Appeals Tribunal.

In the meantime, he has stablemates Mister Moneypenny and Guest Wing in Melbourne.  The Perth Cup winner is due to start in the Le Pine Funerals Handicap at Sandown this Saturday.

Edwards has prepared seven winners at the last two Narrogin meetings and all four of his winners there on Australia Day were ridden by apprentice Jarrad Noske – Train Crusher (Pentire), The Thirteenth (Tale Of The Cat), Remember (Johannesburg) and Rebel Fury (Dante’s Fury).

Edwards made it five at Bunbury on Australia Day when Bellaben won the Bundaberg Red Rum & Cola Hcp (1410m).

Bellaben (3f Benicio – Sister Time by Gilded Time) is one of a dozen winners from the first crop of Benicio.  The Vinery sire is by More Than Ready and he was a G1 winner of the VRC Victoria Derby.  His dam Mannington was a G3 winner of the Blue Diamond Prelude and second-dam Bint Marscay won the 1993 Golden Slipper Stakes.

Korilya Stud sold Bellaben for $13,000 to Commercial Bloodstock at the 2009 Perth Magic Millions Autumn yearling sale.  Her dam Sister Time was a maiden winner at Toowoomba.  Second dam Sister Theresa (At Talaq) is a half-sister to G1 winner Savannah Success (Success Express) and she, in turn, is the dam of G1 racehorse and sire Savabeel (Zabeel).

Benicio was also off the mark with his second crop in Western Australian last Saturday courtesy of Benny’s Halo.  He looks a progressive type on the basis of a very impressive debut victory in the Westspeed 2YO Plate at Ascot.  

Benny’s Halo (2g Benicio – Bekisharp by Shovhog) is part-owned by trainer Neville Smith and Duran Carter and she traces directly back to brilliant filly Vaindarra (Vain) who won the Silver Slipper Stakes and was runner-up to Marscay in the 1982 Golden Slipper.

Smith purchased Bekisharp for $22,000 at the 2008 Magic Millions National Sale and she arrived in WA carrying the Ascot winner.  The mare has since foaled colts to Manneroo Stud sires Mr. Prosperous and Courvoisier.