Outsider Lady Esprit Opens Stakes Account

Mark Smith - Saturday February 3

The $51 outsider of the field, Lady Esprit, charged past the odds-on favourite Snitty Kitty in the last 100 metres of Saturday's Polytrack W.J. Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield to earn a maiden stakes win at her 27th start.

Form books read that the 5yo daughter of Bel Esprit failed to beat any of the 14 starters home at her most recent start at Moonee Valley but she went to the line untested when blocked between runners.

Advertisement

Her form before that had been consistent including a second to Crystal Dreamer in the Listed Doveton Stakes over a 1000 metres at Sandown.


Reagan Bayliss had Lady Esprit travelling sweetly in last place and had plenty of horse underneath him when asked for the supreme effort.

She defeated Snitty Kitty by a long-neck with Nasdex (Not A Single Doubt) a half-length back in third. (photo Darryl Sherer )

With her first stakes win in he bag, Lady Esprit advances her record to 6 wins, 5 seconds and 3 thirds from 27 starts with earnings of $320,275

Trainer Aaron Purcell said he was hopeful Lady Esprit would run a place.

"That was quite a strong race. She is quite a good filly in her own right," Purcell said.

"We thought the speed in the race would suit her sweeping style but we weren't sure if she was good enough.

"We were hoping she would run in the first three to get the black-type next to her name but winning is an excellent result."

Bred by Rosemont Stud, Lady Esprit is the sixth and penultimate foal of the Bellotto mare Fanciful Bella, a descendant of the Irish Oaks and Epsom Oaks heroine Juliette Marny, who did in September last year.

The winner of two races, Fanciful Bella was placed in Group 1 SAJC Australasian Oaks, the Group II MRC Angus Armanasco Stakes and Group III SAJC Auraria Stakes.

Lady Esprit becomes the 24th stakes-winner for Sun Stud's Bel Esprit.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale (November 12 and 13) is online with breeze up video now in place and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Impressive First winner for Armory
Mapperley Stud stallion Armory recorded his first winner on Sunday when his two-year-old daughter Silhouette raced to a dominant victory in the Fusion Electrical Two-Year-Old (900m) at Trentham.
Melbourne Cup Dream Alive for Kiwi Stayers
Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) dreams are still alive for connections of Kiwi stayers Mark Twain and Trav.
First Winner for King of Comedy
Novara Park Stud stallion King Of Comedy (IRE) is on the board as a sire, with his son Sir Ruby becoming his first winner when victorious over 1300m at Selangor Turf Club in Malaysia on Sunday.
Sires With Winners - Monday October 27
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 26
Here is the full list of 74 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Bassett and Camelot 2YO Colts Win Final French Group Ones
The last French Group I races of their flat season were run on Sunday and Aidan O’Brien produced the winners of both the Group I Criterium International (1600m) and Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (1800m).
One to Watch – Sha Tin – You Don’t See That Every Day!
The Mark Newnham stable has been on fire in Hong Kong since the start of the new season and the former Sydney trainer produced a super promising winner at Sha Tin on Sunday by Capitalist that did everything wrong and miraculously still won the race!
New Cup Goal for Wolfgang
It may not be the Cup target they were aiming for, but Wolfgang put himself firmly into Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) calculations following his victory in the SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup Prelude (2400m) at Te Rapa on Monday.
From FNQ To Sha Tin - Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G2 Premier Bowl
Some horses arrive in Hong Kong with a very different back story - Fresh from winning the $20million The Everest with Ka Ying Rising, David Hayes was back in the winner’s list at Sha Tin on Sunday when Tomodachi Kokoroe won the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).