Four-year old gelding Bel Sprinter lost his unbeaten tag when second to Lone Rock in the Bobbie Lewis Stakes (G3) at Flemington last September but that proved a minor blip on his career which is on the rise again following victory in Saturday's United Arab Emirates W J Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.
The Jason Warren trained sprinter's dramatic rise up the ladder of Australia's best sprinters will be taken up a couple of notches with the intention of starting the son of Bel Esprit in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on February 25th and Warren has also not ruled out an overseas campaign.
"I think we would have to seriously think about that," Warren said. "I'd love to go to Dubai.
"Options are everywhere, I think he gets into the Oakleigh Plate with no weight and that has been our plan all the way through."
"Now that we have got a run under our belt, it will be a better way to take on the smart horse Sepoy," he said. "We'll still have a crack at the Oakleigh Plate.
"I think we are better placed now we have had that run.
"I spoke to the handicappers today and we get in with 53.5(kg) because today is only a Listed race and our plan was to give him three weeks between runs so we are right in it."
With his victory over Kulgrinda (Exceed And
Excel) and Faster Son (Fastnet Rock), Bel
Sprintern takes his overall record to 5 wins from 6 starts for earnings of over
$300,000.
A homebred for part-owner Glen Bailey, Bel Sprinter is the first foal of the Snippets mare Gavroche who was sold at the 2009 Inglis August Mixed Sale for $11,000 when carrying a filly by Shinzig.
Gavroche has a yearling full-brother to Bel Sprinter and was bred back to Hussonet (USA) last year.
A half-sister to the stakes-placed Azelna, Gavroche is out of the imported Miswaki mare La Miserable who is a half-sister to the smart import Always Aloof who defeated another import Istidaad in the 1997 Underwood Stakes (G1).
With the undefeated champion Black Caviar flying the flag, Bel Esprit (pictured) is enjoying another successful season.
The son of Royal Academy covered 125 mares at Eliza Park Stud last season for a fee of $27,500.
