Derby Winner for Bel Esprit

Tara Madgwick - Monday July 21

Lonhro might be setting the pace for individual winners in Australia this season, but Bel Esprit is right there with him just a couple behind and one of those winners is Royal Request, who took out the $135,000 Northern Territory Derby at Fannie Bay in Darwin on the weekend.

Prepared in Victoria at Kyneton by Neil Dyer, Royal Request won easily when making his Darwin debut on June 21 and then was second to Gravitational in the Northern Territory Guineas over 1600 metres.

He turned the tables on that rival over the 2000 metres on Saturday when forging clear to win by two lengths, his overall record now three wins and three placings from 13 starts with prizemoney topping $144,000.

A $60,000 Inglis Premier purchase for his trainer from the Erinvale Thoroughbreds draft, Royal Request is the only winner to date for Nassidarra, a half-sister by Nassipour (USA) to Group II winner Fickle Hostess from Group II STC Silver Slipper winner Vaindarra.

Turning 15 this year, Bel Esprit continues to churn out the winners for Eliza Park International and even without his retired superstar Black Caviar, he remains the most successful Victorian based sire this season with 152 winners of $5.3 million in prizemoney.

Bel Esprit stands at a fee of $24,200.

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