First Stakes Horse for Fighting Sun

Tara Madgwick - Sunday February 4
Sun Stud sires enjoyed good success on Saturday with an all-important first stakes horse for exciting young sire Fighting Sun and a new stakes-winner for perennial favourite Bel Esprit.

Platinum Mam'selle is the first stakes horse for Fighting SunThe first winner for Fighting Sun when she scored at Trentham on January 13, the Lisa Latta trained filly Platinum Mam'Selle showed her class when stepped up to stakes company.

She finished a good second in the Group III Phoenix Park 2YO Classic at Pukekura behind Bit Lippy confirming the opinion of her trainer that she is a Group I filly in the making.

The Group I Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on March 10 and the Group I Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni three weeks later loom as likely targets for this progressive filly.

Purchased by Beamish Bloodstock for $80,000 out of the Woodside Park draft at the 2017 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Platinum Mam'selle races for major stable clients Neville McAlister and Lincoln Farms.

She is the second foal of the winning Redoute's Choice mare Miss Fascination a daughter of the Zafonic mare Bibury Flying who won stakes races at Newbury and The Curragh.

A son of Northern Meteor, Fighting Sun was unbeaten in two starts, including the Listed Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill, before an injury ended his career. He retired to Sun Stud in Victoria where he has been very popular.

Bel EspritFighting Sun has made an encouraging start to his stud career with two winners and two place-getters from just seven starters and has four entries for the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and 17 for Inglis Premier next month.

Bel Esprit sired his 24th stakes-winner when five year-old mare Lady Esprit scored a surprise victory in the Listed MRC W.J Adams Stakes for the Aaron Purcell stable.

Best known as the sire of the legendary Black Caviar, Bel Esprit continues to produce a steady stream of winners and stakes horses with Group II winning sprinter Keen Array also flying the flag for him this season.

Bel Esprit has good entries at upcoming sales with 11 for Inglis Classic, four for Inglis Premier and 19 for MM Gold Coast March.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Exceedance Filly Breaks Maiden with G3 Champion fillies Victory
Classy Exceedance daughter Pure Excess galloped out of maiden company and into the headlines when she got up for a heartstopping last stride victory over the favourite, in the G3 WA Champions Fillies Stakes on opening day of The Pinnacles carnival at Ascot.
Star WA Mare Storyville on Track for G1 Railway
Quality four year old mare Storyville (Overshare) collected her third stakes win and slammed the door of the Last Chance Saloon shut on a couple of potential Railway Stakes rivals in the G3 RJ Peters Stakes 1500m at Ascot.
2026 Inglis Classic Now Online
The catalogue for the 2026 Classic Yearling Sale – the fastest growing success story of the Southern Hemisphere’s early-season auctions – is now available online.
2026 Inglis Classic Sire Break Up and Vendor Representation
The 2026 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale is now online with 798 yearlings which is pretty much on on a par with last year’s 805 and if you believe variety is the spice of life this catalogue is going to make you happy.
First Stakes Victory For Better Then Ready’s Epic Proportions
With victories in NSW, Victoria and Queensland since July, Ciaron Maher’s Better Than Ready gelding Epic Proportions has produced some strong efforts in his last four starts in the sunshine state, but none more so than his effort of Saturday to win the Listed BRC Keith Noud Stakes (1200m) when leading throughout. 
Famous Family Produces G1 NZ 2000 Guineas
Victory bells have been ringing for Marie Leicester and her family for decades, with Romanoff the latest to hit a Group One note.
Almanzor Mare Back on Track
Classy mare Mary Shan has black-type targets on her agenda after bouncing back to winning form in Saturday’s Happy Hire Cup (1400m) at Tauranga.
Sires With Winners - Sunday November 16
Here is the full list of 61 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Victorians Supporting National Thoroughbred Week
From November 20–24, dozens of farms and stables around Australia are opening their gates to the public for National Thoroughbred Week. It’s a chance for everyday Aussies see what happens beyond race day and on the farms - and to discover the deep care, commitment, and culture that surrounds the thoroughbred.
Goffs November Foal Sale Offers Insight
The Goffs November Foal Sale kicks off later tonight our time and runs from November 17 – 20 and this year will hold significant interest with the first NH bred foals being offered for high profile Kiwi shuttlers Chaldean (GB) (Frankel) and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni) as well as Darley shuttler Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream), who has an amazing 43 entries!