Shopping Esprit
BEL ESPRIT - ARIES
We are all thankful to Bel Esprit for giving us one of the greats of the turf in Black Caviar but in no way is the high class sprinter a one-horse stallion, the dual Gr.1 winner well represented by 27 stakes winners.
Boasting an excellent winners-to-runners strike rate not far short of 70%, Bel Esprit has long been one of Victoria's most popular stallions and little wonder as he continues to put on display his considerable upgrading abilities.
With progeny earnings in excess of $77 million, Bel Esprit has been siring winners all around the world - Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau. Whilst the majority of his runners are sprinters, he has sired stakes winners who have been successful up to 2200m.
Another two of his progeny - Bel Sprinter and Bel Mer - are Gr.1 winners whilst Keen Array, Sweet Sherry, Afleet Esprit, Se Sauver, Gabbidon and Vivacious Spirit have also won at Group level.
A very fast horse who won eight of his 19 starts, Bel Esprit was seen at his brilliant best taking out the Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes and the Gr.1 Doomben 10,000. The winner of over $2 million in stakes, he won another four Group races as well as two Listed events.
This gelding's dam Aries had just the three starts and was not far away, showing pace. Her first foal Shopping Esprit is also by Bel Esprit and he impressed winning at debut before doing it tough out wide on heavy going at his only other run to date.
Aries is out of the imported Ideal Lady who did a good job with her five winners including the stakes placed Bouboulina, in turn dam of the stakes placed five times winner Mon Amie Chop. Ideal Lady's dam is the French two times stakes winner Insijaam who also produced the Gr.3 winners Maputo and Pictavia.
This is a family that has been producing quality performers for generations with Insijaam's Gr.3 placed dam Cadeaux d'Amie also represented by the triple Gr.1 winner Hatoof and the American Gr.1 winner Irish Prize - as well as the Listed winner Fasateen.
Cadeaux d'Amie's other descendants include the Irish Derby hero Trading Leather and fellow stakes winners Glanzend, Nittan Warrior, Curtail, Bronze Maquette, Fanatica, Divine Task and Obvious Choice.
Cadeaux d'Amie's dam Tananarive was also a wonderful producer with her best being the triple Gr.1 winner Mrs Penny... and amongst her other descendants are the stakes winners Northern Park, Mrs Jenney, Unaccounted For, A Votre Sante, Penny's Gold, Strait Of Zanzibar, Penny's Picnic, Curren Black Hill, Spying, Gran Sultan, Sabulose, Alva Glen, Lyphard's Honour, Villadolide, Victorieux, Girouette, Tribune, Baileys Showgirl and Encumbered.
A sea of black type in this fellow's pedigree and what an international family it is - stakes winners in Australia, France, Ireland, England, Peru, Japan, America and Uruguay!
There are no weak links in this fellow's pedigree - his dam sire is Street Cry, his second dam sire Seattle Slew, his third dam sire Secretariat, his fourth dam sire Lyphard... all titans of the breeding world!
