Date posted January 31, 2010 | Posted by Michele Cullen | Filed under
Bel Esprit,
Racing and BreedingMelbourne, Vic (Jan 31st, 2010) - The news over the past month for Eliza Park’s stallion Bel Esprit (ex Bespoken by Vain) has been nothing short of fantastic. Especially for vendor’s of yearlings by the son of Royal Academy on the eve of many yearling sales around the country and on Saturday it just kept getting better when Tollesprit beat his older rivals in arrogant fashion.
Trained at Bendigo by Shane Fliedner, Tollesprit a $26,000 purchase from the 2008 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, claimed his third success at Flemington in the Schweppes 1200m and doing so he took his earnings past $177,000. Now that’s a grand return for a cheap yearling by his syndicate of owners.
Tollesprit was given a super ride by Craig Williams and easily beat Captain Coltish (Fusaichi Pegasus - Skates by Danehill) by a widening length with Juggle The Books (Jugah - Suliere by Shy Rambler) another short head away in third.
“He’s done a good job,” Fliender said.
“He’s about three quarters fit at the moment.”
“He’ll head to Moonee Valley in a fortnight and if he happened to win that he might end up in the Newmarket (Handicap).”
Tollesprit, a three year-old beat the older horses at Flemington on Saturday.
Tollesprit is the second black type performer for his unraced dam Tolleranza (by Alzao) the other being Belle Ball (by Jetall), VRC March Stakes, and hails from a family that’s produced a Group I Epsom Derby winner, Empery (by Vaguely Noble), along with many stakes winners in France and Germany.
Bel Esprit, was also a great thoroughbred sale bargains of recent years, the sire of Tollesprit, Silver Bullion, Beltrois and of course Black Caviar, the 3-year-old filly who retained her unbeaten record in recording a dominant win in the $202,000 Group 2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley on Australia day.
Bred by Hunter Valley construction engineer Phil Gunter and his wife Leonie of the Llanilo Park stud, Bel Esprit had unsightly front legs as a youngster and realised only $9,000 when sold to Macedon Lodge, Victoria through Baerami Thoroughbreds at the 2001 Inglis Sydney Classic yearling sale.
Now rejuvenating the iron constitution transmitting Njinsky male line as a sire at Lee Fleming’s Victorian breeding giant Eliza Park, went on to be one of the best juveniles and 3-year-olds (accoladed a champion) of his generation.
In earning $2million, Bel Esprit went on to pick up five Group1 cheques at three, a win in the Doomben 10,000 (1-1/4 lengths) and seconds in the VRC Newmarket, MRC Caulfield Guineas and Dubai Cup and MVRC Manikato Stakes.
Retired to stud in 2003 and now represented by four crops including current 2-year-olds, Bel Esprit has 137 winners on the board, comprised by runners in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and South Africa.
He has been well supported by breeders and was one of Australia’s busiest sires with each of his books for 2007 and 2009 being in excess of 250.
