One fine sunny morning on Sunday 10th October 2003, Brian and Lorraine Donohoe together with Peter and Julie Donohoe and their children, Thomas and Hayley and Julie’s Father, Pat Kennedy ventured off for a barbeque and an inspection of the Bel Esprit–Blazing Aura colt, born four days earlier at Yungaburra Stud, 80k from Melbourne at Newham, north of Mount Macedon.
Before arriving at Yungaburra “Place of the happy spirit”, we called at Eliza Park, one of the fastest and most progressive thoroughbred breeding and racing nurseries in Australia, where an appointment had been made with the manager, Shane McGrath, to visit our Stallion Bel Esprit (Brian and Peter had raced Bel Esprit and still retained a small interest in him).
Bel Esprit, who is one of nine stallions on the farm, was paraded and Julie and Tom (pictured right) got close enough to pat him. Tom gave him a carrot to reward him for all his good work. He had served 122 mares in his 1st season and had nearly completed serving 152 mares in his 2nd season.
We were then taken to the foaling paddock where there were a few foals, all by Bel Esprit, running around with their Mothers. Some came up close and Hayley mustered enough courage to pat the Bel Esprit-Carbonated foal.
Leaving Eliza Park, we drove to Yungaburra, a property owned by David and Jenny Moodie. where the homestead was built on top of a hill in the middle of the property with a magnificent view of all 1100 acres.
The Moodies have been one of racing’s biggest investors for many years under the banner of his Contract Racing syndicate that retains Matthew Ellerton as his Melbourne-based trainer.
David and Jenny put on a traditional Australian barbeque where we discussed the merits of Bel Esprit as a stallion. We also talked about the history of the farm, David’s venture in breeding and racing (Rarcamba had a big influence on his success) and the importing of Distorted Humor to Australia for two seasons as a stallion.
Pat and David tested their memory about whether Paint (owned by David and Jenny) won the last race on Cox Plate day when Might and Power won the big
race.
The children, Tom and Hayley were entertained by the Moodie children, Kate, Victoria and Jessica by riding mini tractors around the yard.
After lunch we all jumped into the one-tonner and drove down to the breeding stable for a look at our colt. It was very exciting to see a gangly baby foal snuggling up to his mother and trying to hide away from our view, especially when we own him! Hard to imagine that one day he might be racing up the straight at Flemington and winning???.
Later in the afternoon, we went for a tour around the farm and saw where our foal would grow up (which happened to be the best paddock). Horses in the paddocks included Cosmic Dust (pictured right, she had foals to Bel Esprit in his 2nd and 3rd year and we have shares in both colts), River Dove who won an Oakleigh Plate beating Bel Esprit, Distorted Halo, winner of Group 1 races in Hong Kong and is a half brother to our colt, Casual Pass who won a MacKinnon Stakes, Polar Rose(Dam of Arctic Scent, winner of
1996 G1 Caulfield Cup) and Artic Scent .We journeyed home at the end of the day with great expectations that we had made a very successful foal share and hoped to have more fun at owners.
Spirited Halo wins at Sandown.
January 5th, 2008
Saturday at Sandown was another gold star in the book of young rider Sebastian Murphy, who celebrated his 18th birthday on New Year's Day with a double at Flemington that included the Group 3 Standish Hcp, when he rode a race-to-race double on the card.
Trainer Matt Ellerton made the most of Murphy's one-and-a-half kilo claim to offset the top weight of 58kilos allocated to Spirited Halo (ex Blazing Aura by Blazing Sword) in the New Gleam Super VOBIS Hcp (1400m).
The three-year-old son of Bel Esprit jumped away from barrier 12 in the 13-strong field best and Murphy sent him straight to the front when he dominated the tempo. Given a breather coming down the hill, Murphy, asked Spirited Halo for another effort at the 300m and they proved too strong for El Poderoso (Tobougg - Olympic Halo by Danewin) by a neck.
The way Spirited Halo claimed his second win from seven starts suggests he's capable to improve off the win.Ellerton told TVN, "I thought with the claim he (Spirited Halo) would be able to chalk up his second win and ... Sebastian gave him a heady ride." Bel Esprit is by Royal Academy from a daughter of the Group I Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes winner, Vin D'Amour (by Adios).
He was rated Australia's Champion Three-Year-Old in 2002 and sofar this season his progeny have won 14 races and more than $800,000. Bel Esprit is well represented by three youngsters at the forthcoming New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale at Karaka, January 30th until February 1st, he has another seven on offer at the WA Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale (Feb 15-22nd) and a big draft of 30 at the William Inglis Premier Yearling Sale (March 1st-6th).
Utterly Fantastic
The Ricky Maund trained Utterly Fantastic proved exactly that for owners Kevin and Tanith O'Brien by winning at Caulfield today.
Unfortunately for punters it started at $41, meaning the cheers upon returning to scale were distinctly muted.
Coming from well back in the field on the turn, Utterly Fantastic ($31-$41) came home strongly under Dean Yendall to win by three quarters of a length from Marwin Gold ($31-$41) with another three quarters of a length to Spirited Halo ($26-$31).
The run of the race was Spirited Halo who drew the outside barrier, dropped back to last and had to come round the field,10 wide on the turn and flash down the middle of the track.
Considering Spirited Halo was rated 74 and Live In Vain 102, Marwin Gold 98, Royal Asscher 99, Monahan Tweed 95 and Straight Legs 94, a bright future is assured.
With a city win under his belt, Utterly Fantastic takes his prizemoney earnings over the $113,000 mark, with 6 wins and 8 placings from his 29 starts.
SPIRITED PERFORMANCE
There was some very excited owners following the victory of Spirited Halo at Sandown on Wednesday (26 November) … especially those who snaffled the ‘10s’.Part-owner Brian Donohoe has written a terrific piece on the Bel Esprit blog and all we can basically add is to say that he didn’t race like a $10 shot.Lobbing into third for the run home, Spirited Halo raced to the front on turning for home and it was all over, Red Rover.
Spirited Halo obviously has a keen appreciation of Sandown (now Betfair Park), having won there in January and run fourth at two previous visits. All up, Spirited Halo has posted three wins and four placings from 14 outings.
Bred by the Donohoes, the Moodies and the Goods (who also race the 4YO), Spirited Halo is trained by Matty Ellerton and is a half brother to multiple Hong Kong Group winner Distorted Halo from the stakesplaced mare, Blazing Aura.
Spirited Halo 26/11/2008
A happy owner's story
Tuesday morning, I ventured up to Eliza Park to meet Greg Tobin, Eliza Park's Marketing Manager, to discuss setting up a Web site with all of Bel Esprit's newspaper and Web articles displayed on the site.
Greg suggested that we should start with a blogger site and here it is. Maybe the name might change and be called the Bel Esprit Owners Club with a collection of stories that are available, dating back till when Gabbidon became Bel Esprit's 1st progeny to win a race.
At the conclusion of the meeting I went to the Stallion barn where Bel Esprit was resting after earning his keep earlier in the morning. Brent Grayling, who is Stud Manager, brushed the stallion up and took him out to the viewing area where he pranced around like he did in his racing days.
He is a 670lb ball of muscle, how could any mare resist him.
Wednesday morning, I bought the paper and saw that Spirited Halo,by Bel Esprit, a horse that my Wife and I have a share in, was 10/1 in the betting at Betfair Park at 4.00 in the afternoon.
A phone call was made to other owners and Julie, our Daughter-in-Law and co-owner, said that her father, Pat Kennedy would love to come with me.
The horse had raced at Flemington on Emirites Stakes Day and finished 6th, a crebible performance considering he had drawn the inside barrier and there was a strong head wind which forced him to race back a bit futher than was expected.
The weather was fine when we arrived but as the prior race to ours was run, the skies opened up. Thunder and lightning and heavy rain descended upon the course with lightning striking the running rail near where the horses and Craig Newett were. In his own words in the Sun Newspaper "I s--t myself". Our race was delayed and our good track quickly turned into a dead track.Pat and I, a couple of old Football addicts, agreed that it always rained at AFL Park Waverly, only a mile away, in the 3rd quarter and nothing has changed.
Anyway back to the races, our race was run, Chris Symons dropped Spirited Halo into 3rd place after they jumped, raced to the front in the straight and, like when he raced at Sandown earlier in the year, nothing could catch him.
Into the Winners room, watched the replay, drank the Champagne, ate the sandwiches, collected the trophy, the video, the photo and lets not forget the 10/1.
Who said there is a financial crisis?
Pictured left are, strapper Chloe, who had her 1st day at the races as a strapper and Sharnee who filled in for Matty Ellerton, the trainer, for the day.
Congratulations to all involved.
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