Bel Esprit Sprinter Wins Takeover Target

Tara Madgwick - Thursday January 17
Sun Stud's evergreen sire Bel Esprit featured at Gosford on Thursday when the Australian Bloodstock colours were carried to victory in the $150,000 Listed Takeover Target Stakes by Tactical Advantage.




A Gooree Stud homebred that was purchased by Australian Bloodstock last year, Tactical Advantage (images Steve Hart) has been in good form since joining the stable of Kris Lees .

Tactical Advantage returns a winner!He won three of his first four starts for his new trainer and was last seen finishing sixth in a Listed race at Doomben on December 29.

Ridden quietly off the pace in this 1200 metre sprint by Brenton Avdulla, Tactical Advantage zoomed to the line to beat the favourite Easy Eddie by a long head.

"The second horse took some running down so it was a good effort," said Kris Lees.

"It's really good to win a stakes race with him. He has a great bunch of owners.

"He can have a little break now, he's done a good job."

The 25th stakes-winner for Bel Esprit, Tactical Advantage has the overall record of nine wins and seven placings from 21 starts with prizemoney topping $550,000.

Tactical Advantage is the best of four winners from Group III placed Encosta de Lago mare Above Perfection, a daughter of stakes-winner Actress from the family of Gooree Stud's Group I winners Desert War, Laser Hawk and Romantic Touch.

Above Perfection has a yearling filly by Artie Schiller (USA), a colt foal by Shalaa (IRE) and was covered last spring by the Gooree Stud bred Smart Missile.

Black Caviar's sire Bel Esprit turns 20 this year and returned to Victoria last year for Sun Stud where he was welcomed warmly covering 95 mares at a fee of $11,000.





Advertisment
More Reading...
Estijaab's Daughter Ejaabiyah Second at Newbury
After hacking up by six lengths at her only start at two, Ejaabiyah, a daughter of Frankel and the Golden Slipper winner Estijaab, fell two and a quarter lengths short of catching Godolphin's exciting Shamardal filly Diamond Rain in the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies' Trial Stakes (10f) at Newbury on Saturday.
New Era for Dawn and Peter Williams
It will be the dawn of a new era for Byerley Park trainers Peter and Dawn Williams, as they get set to enter into the next stage of life after announcing their retirement from racing.
Stakes Filly for Golden Slipper Winner Estijaab
A $1.7million Inglis Easter purchase for Emirates Park, Snitzel filly Estijaab won the 2018 Golden Slipper for Emirates Park before embarking on a stud career in the Northern Hemisphere and her first born Frankel filly Ejaabiyah gained Black Type on Saturday in the UK when finishing a good second in the Listed Newbury Fillies Trial Stakes (1m2f)
Seize The Grey and D Wayne Lukas Triumph in Preakness Stakes
There will be no Triple Crown winner this year after Kentucky Derby hero Mystik Dan played second fiddle to Seize the Grey in the 149th Preakness Stakes at a muddy Pimlico Race Course and credited 88-year-old legend D Wayne Lukas with his seventh winner of the race, 44-years after his first with Codex.
More Group Success for Kiwi Bred Western Empire
The resurgence of a former superstar of Perth racing continued when Western Empire lived up to his $1.85 favouritism in Saturday’s Gr.3 Furphy Belmont Sprint (1400m).
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.
FBAA Mentorship Program - Three Candidates
The FBAA is proud to announce the selection of three mentees to participate in the inaugural FBAA Mentorship Program commencing June 1st 2024. The foundation of the two-month program is to provide aspiring bloodstock agents with a formal pathway towards professional development in the bloodstock industry, whilst fostering education and encouraging best practice.
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.
One to Watch – Sunshine Coast
A $50,000 juvenile event over 1400m at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday drew a very competitive big field of 14 and the dominant winner was a son of Doncaster winner Brutal.
Thoroughbreds are Go Returns to Sky on Monday Night
Caroline Searcy’s informative and entertaining thoroughbred re-homing television program Thoroughbreds Are Go (TAG) returns for Series 1 in 2024 this Monday night May 20.