BEL ESPRIT (34)
Bay colt
foaled 1999
Sold
2001 Classic Yearling Sale. Price: $9,000
Breeder:
Mr P Gunter, NSW.
Owners:
Mr M J Duffy, Mr K D Stern, Mr B M Forrest, Mr B J Donohoe, Mr D C Cox, Mr A P
Donohoe, Mr K Sheedy & Mr L J Fleming.
Werk
Nick Rating: B
GP
Inbreeding: Menow 5f, 5f x.
|
Age |
Starts |
Wins |
2nds |
3rds |
|
2 |
6 |
5 |
- |
- |
|
3 |
12 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
|
|
18 |
8 |
4 |
1 |
Sire: ROYAL ACADEMY (USA) - Bay 1987. European Champion 3YO Miler; 4
wins, £192,578 & $450,000, Breeders' Cup Mile-G1, July Cup-G1, Tetrarch
S-G3, 2d Irish 2000 Guineas-G1. Half-brother to PANCHO VILLA, TERLINGUA (dam of STORM CAT). To stud in Ireland & Australia in 1994. Shuttling
to Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains, NSW. Champion First Crop Sire in UK. Sire of
518 winners of $59.8 million - 78 SWs inc Group I winners BEL ESPRIT, SLEEPYTIME, OSCAR SCHINDLER, KENWOOD MELODY, CARMINE LAKE,
ZALAIYKA, CENTAINE, ALI-ROYAL, LAVERY, also LA BELLA DAME, QUAYS, SARSON TRAIL,
BOLSHOI, PAINTER'S ROW, EL MAIMOUN, ROYAL SUZUKA, LUCIDO, IMPRESSIONIST,
DERNIER CROISE, TRUTH OR DARE, EQUAL RIGHTS, FLAME OF ATHENS, SHARP POINT, VAL
ROYAL, DARAYDALA, IHTIRAM, HONOUR THE NAME, SHE'S ACADEMIC, REGAL KISS, ROYAL
COURTSHIP, PHOENIX PARK, LADY BELVEDERE, TEARS ROYAL, etc.
Dam
BESPOKEN (1990). Started 3 times.
Dam of 8 foals, 5 raced, 4 winners -
95 Te Akau Wine, b g by Kaapstad. 1 win at 2000m.
96 Miss Sacha (NZ), ch f by Kaapstad. 3 wins, 900m-1200m.
97 Prince Treasure, ch c by Kaapstad. Started 3 times in
Hong Kong.
98 Smartchat, ch f by Kaapstad. 1 win at 1200m; placed Eagle Farm.
99 BEL ESPRIT. 8 wins, 1000m-1200m, $2,073,600, BTC Doomben Ten
Thousand-G1, MRC Blue Diamond S-G1, VRC Maribyrnong P-G2, MRC H D F McNeil
S-G3, Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G)-G3, Blue Diamond Preview (C&G)-G3,
MVRC Mitchell McKenzie S-LR, St Albans S-LR, 2d VRC Newmarket H-G1, MRC
Caulfield Guineas-G1, Invitation S-G1, MVRC Manikato S-G1, 3d AJC T J Smith
S-G3.
00 Lady Lover, b/br f by Thunder Gulch (USA).
01 (Unnamed) b f by Orpen (USA).
02 (Unnamed) b c by Spinning World (USA).
2nd Dam
VIN D'AMOUR (NZ). 4 wins, 1000m-1400m, Manawatu Sires' Produce S-G1, Matamata Breeders'
S-G2, WRC Parkdale H, 2d WRC Evergreen Lodge S-G2, 3d Hawke's Bay Gold Trail
S-G3, Masterton Lowland S-G3. Dam of 5 foals, 4 raced, 2 winners -
MAHASSIN. 5
wins, $525,050, at 900m, 1200m, VATC Blue Diamond S- G1, Laurent-Perrier S-LR,
VRC Maribyrnong Trial S-LR, VATC Quezette Quality H, 2d VRC Edward Manifold
S-G2, VATC Blue Diamond Prelude-G3, Gold Coast Magic Million-RL, 3d STC
Reisling Slipper Trial-G2, 4th SAJC Lightning S-G3. Dam of -
Mukarrab. 9 wins at 5f, 6f,
Lingfield Book Early for Valentine's Day H, Conference Centre H, Apple a Day H,
Furlongs & Fairways H.
Blue Tu Hot. 8 wins, at 1000m,
1200m, Roma Premio Tennyson, Premio Varano, Premio Bold Run, Premio Goodley,
Milano Premio Lusia.
Palace Beat. 1 win at 1250m, STC
Rhodes H. Producer.
Vinny. Unraced. Dam of -
Mr Kudos. 3 wins at 1200m, 1400m,
Waikato Metro Ford H.
Statesmanship. 3 wins, 1200m-1600m,
AJC 4up H, STC 4up H.
3rd Dam
GLITEREN. 5 wins, 1100m-1800m;
placed Flemington, Mowbray. From a half-sister to Sydney Wake. Dam of 5 named foals, all raced, 4 winners -
VIN D'AMOUR.
See above.
SECRET SEAL.
8 wins, $163,105, 1400m-2200m, Hawke's Bay Cup-G3, Ormond S-G3, Wanganui Tim
Rogers S-G3, Taranaki S-LR, Waikato T'bred Management P, 2d WRC H R Chalmers
S-LR, 3d NZ St Leger-G1.
Cottonwood Queen. 1 win at 1150m.
Producer.
Wagtail. Started 8 times. Dam of -
Queen of Saxony. 7 wins, 1300m-2100m, WATC Welter H, Budget H, Rentokil H, Graduation S,
3d WATC Belmont Oaks-LR. Dam of -
KING OF SAXONY. 6 wins, $416,200, 1400m-2200m, WATC Perth Cup-G2, Melvista S-LR, Crown
Welter H, Jemoyn H, Green and Gold Quality H, 2d WATC Derby-G1, Sires' Produce
S-G3, Lindsay Rosenthal S-LR.
Red Ant. 8 wins, 1200m-1500m, WATC
Graduation S, 3 times.
BEL
ESPRIT, who had missed some work because of the wet tracks, was no certainty to
run in the Doomben 10,000, a start only confirmed after John Symonds walked the
track on the morning of the race.
There
was also doubt about Falvelon starting because of a poor blood count during the
week but he too was declared a runner. It was a high class field which also
included Yell, who was favourite, Spinning Hill, New Zealand's best
sprinter-miler Tit for Taat, Lord Essex, Diamond Dane, Make Mine Magic and the
lightly raced three-year-old filly Private Steer who was racing outside her
class and sex for the first time.
Normally
a pacemaker, Tit for Taat missed the start, which allowed Nash Rawiller to go
to the lead on Bel Esprit, dictating the pace. They dawdled early although the
last half was run at such speed that the overall time was one of the fastest of
recent years. Bel Esprit was briefly taken on by Lord Essex with Yell also
there, but the Melbourne colt had plenty left and won easily. The only one to
make any impression was Private Steer who finished fast from third last on the
turn for second. Spinning Hill, who was off the track most of the way, ran her
usual mighty race for third. Yell, Tit for Taat, Make Mine Magic and North Boy
were in a bunch behind the placegetters. Falvelon showed none of his usual
dash.
It was
Bel Esprit's first Gr.1 win since the Blue Diamond as a two-year-old, but the
colt has consistantly been among the best of his age and has Gr.1 placings in
the Caulfield Guineas, Newmarket Handicap, Invitation Stakes and Manikato
stakes to his credit. It was announced after the race that he would retire for
a stud career at Eliza Park, Victoria in the new season.