Another Ton For Bel

- Monday July 22
Sun Stud's perennial champ, Bel Esprit has again notched up 100 individual winners for the season with promising 3YO, Ashrad, leading throughout to notch up his maiden win at Wangaratta on Sunday.

Bel EspritAlthough he has gained global attention as the sire of racing immortal, Black Caviar, it's worth noting that Bel Esprit has sired 682 winners in 11 countries – at a strike rate of 68%! – with over $68 million in progeny earnings. Indeed, his $5.65 million in earnings this season again place him among Australia's Top 20 active sires.

Meanwhile, 2019 stakes winners such as Tactical Advantage and Belwazi are just two of Bel Esprit's 52 stakes horses, which also include Group One winners Bel Mer and Bel Sprinter.

With consistency being the key, Bel Esprit has produced – on average – 130 winners a year world-wide for the past 10 seasons and is rapidly gaining currency as a broodmare sire too, particularly in light of the 2019 deeds of Hong Kong Horse of the Year, Beauty Generation, Group One winner Costa Viva and 15 other stakes horses.

Still hugely popular with breeders, Bel Esprit covered 95 mares last season and stands at Sun Stud in 2019 at a fee of $11,000 with no payment until live foal.
Advertisment
More Reading...
Sun Stud Proud to Support Bushfire Appeal
Throughout January, Victoria’s Sun Stud will be supporting those affected by the devastating bushfires by donating $1,000 for every winner by a Sun Bloodstock owned horse, plus $200 for every winner sired by a stallion on the Sun Stud roster.
Twenty-Sixth Stakes Winner for Bel Esprit
The 5-year-old Bel Esprit mare Belwazi made her first stakes attempt a winning one in Saturday’s Listed Kensington Stakes at Flemington and in the process provided a welcome to Victoria for the champion South Australian jockey Jamie Kah.
First SW For So You Think Stallion Tamasa As Cicala Takes Out Lightning
One of just three named foals by the So You Think stallion Tamasa, the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea trained 3yo filly Cicala remained unbeaten, going three from three by winning the $120,000 Listed SAJC Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville.
Second Stakes for Bel Esprit's Tactical Advantage
If Australian Bloodstock was disappointed with the performance of their colour-bearer Mustajeer (GB) in the Melbourne Cup it didn’t take long to bounce back with the Bel Esprit gelding Tactical Advantage breaking a run of outs in the Listed MSS Security Sprint (1200m) at Flemington.
Hello Youmzain Filly Wins NZ Last Stakes Race of Season
Talented juvenile filly Platinum Diamond made all posts a winner when she captured her second consecutive stakes victory in the last black type feature of the 2024-2025 racing season, the Listed Phils Electrical & Gypsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.
Winning Hat-Trick for Gold Standard 2YO
When an unheralded sire produces a Group I winner in their first crop as happened for Sebring stallion Gold Standard it can take a long time for the benefit of that early splash to take effect, but in his case the wait is nearly over and in the meantime Destiny’s Summit is a good reminder as to his merit.
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 26
Here is the full list of 86 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Another G1 Triumph for Aga Khan Stud Bred Gelding
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who made it back to back G1 wins overnight when beating a select field in a tactical battle to win the Group I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1m4f) at Ascot.
Consecutive Black Type Victories For Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz
Stepping up to open company is always a tough task, but 3yo Snitzel filly Bridal Waltz graduated from a last start Listed win over her own age to win the $200,000 Group 3 MRC Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Season Finale Flourish for So You Think
Coolmore stalwart So You Think is powering to the end of the Australian racing season with a six winner flurry on Saturday highlighted by a winning treble at Randwick led by his progressive mare Oh Diamond Lil.