Cascabel 5/12/2008(3)

Blue Blood Coubertin Fifth in Debut
Coubertin, the half brother to multiple Group 1 winners Elvstroem and Haradasun, made his long awaited debut under clear skies at Ballarat this afternoon.
However it didn't all go to script with the easing favourite ($3.10) finishing fifth beaten less then three lengths from the winner.
Imperially bred by leading Australian sire Redoute's Choice from the Group 1 winning dam of Circles of Gold, Coubertin showed that it will be capable over further ground, making some steady ground in the latter part of the straight.
Starting from the already difficult wide alley of gate 14, Coubertin didn't aid the situation after leaving the stalls sluggishly and forcing Danny Brereton to restrain the debutant towards the rear of the field.
Slowly picking his way thought the field whilst the leaders backed off the tempo, Coubertin faced a wall of horses as the rail moved out eight metres from the 600m mark to the winning post.
Although not inconvenienced, Coubertin raced tight around the bend and in the early stages of the straight before obtaining a run on the inside of the Peter Snowden trained Squalls.
However the three year old was unable to rein in Cascabel who made the most of its previous race experience and pulled off a betting plunge of sorts.
Cascabel ($7-$3.50), from the Robbie Griffiths stable, won by one and a quarter lengths with debutants Renounceable ($11-$12) and Awimoweh ($41) in second and third position respectively. With the race starting five minutes behind post advertised start time after the late scratchings of the Matthew Ellerton pair, Drifting Spirit and Rose Of Elegance, winning rider Peter Mertens saw race experience as a big advantage for his mount.
"Especially when he stood in the gates for so long, a lot of those first starters would have gone to sleep in there," before adding "He was quite mature."
Cascabel has plenty of scope for the future according to Mertens after the son of Bel Esprit unsuccessfully protested against the winner and runner-up on debut at Sale when fourth behind Red Hustler.
"I think he'll improve with each run," Mertens said.

Little Bro Misses Out As Other Valuable Youngsters Salute
Story By Nathan Exelby
Thursday, 4 December 2008:
The two most expensive yearling purchases to race in Australia today both won, but the colt who most certainly would have sold for much more had he seen a sales ring was beaten during a most interesting afternoon at Ballarat.Frank TaggPhoto by Racing and Sports$750,000 Exceed And Excel colt Dominguin and $450,000 Encosta De Lago filly Chameleon both opened their winning accounts, but the Tony Vasil trained Coubertin will have to wait another day. The eagerly anticipated debut of Coubertin, the Redoute's Choice three-quarter-brother to Elvstroem and half-brother to Haradasun, fizzed when the colt got well back in the 1200m maiden and never looked a winning hope.Coubertin was sent out an easing favourite after a recent trial win, but couldn't match the debut winning heroics of his famous older siblings, despite making up good ground in the straight.The aim is to have Coubertin heading towards the AJC Derby and he certainly raced like a horse looking for more ground.With two international Group 1 winners to her credit, Circles Of Gold has strong claims on the title of Australasia's most valuable broodmare, especially in light of the fact Haradasun was valued in the vicinity of $50million during his racing career.However, the mare has not had a horse go to sale since the Danehill colt Gold Centre, who made $400,000 in 2004 – prior to Elvstroem's multiple G1 winning four-year-old feats. Each of the Marscay mare's foals since have been retained to race by Frank Tagg and his partners.She missed in 2006 but last year produced another Redoute's Choice colt and this spring foaled a full-brother to Haradasun by Fusaichi Pegasus. Coubertin was beaten into fifth place by the Robbie Griffiths trained Cascabel (Bel Esprit), who was the subject of heavy support after running fourth on debut at Sale.By contrast, Cascabel cost just $18,000 at last year's Inglis Classic Sale in Sydney. He is from the Kala Dancer mare Gogo Doll.The win continued a hot run of winning success for Eliza Park's Bel Esprit – Australia's busiest stallion in 2007 – with seven winners in the past week.

How Many Bels? Not Enough!Breednet
Media Release - Thursday, 4 December 2008
Venturing to last year’s Sydney Classic, trainer Robbie Griffiths took a shine to the Bel Esprit colt from the Kala Dancer mare, Gogo Doll.
With a couple of Bel Esprits already in his Cranbourne stable, Robbie was more than pleased to add another … especially when he snapped up the colt for just $18,000.
Naturally enough, Robbie considers the money well spent with the Bel Esprit – now named Cascabel – grabbing his maiden victory at Ballarat today (4 December) from a ‘hot’ lineup which included Coubertin, a Redoute’s Choice half brother to Elvstroem and Haradasun.
A moral beaten on debut at Sale in mid November, Cascabel showed he has above average ability with jockey, Peter Mertens, forced to use him up early and finding no peace among the front runners.
Moving to the lead on turning for home, Cascabel never looked in danger with Peter easing him down on the line.
Taciturn as ever, Peter was, however, confident that: “he (Cascabel) will just get better with each run”.
The trainer wasn’t backward in coming forward though, predicting Cascabel has a good future and lauding the ability of his sire, Bel Esprit.
When asked how many Bel Esprits he had in his stable, Robbie didn’t blink: “Not enough!”
In reality, Griffiths Racing houses six sons and daughters of Bel Esprit and Robbie hinted at the prospects of another up and comer in the Bel Esprit filly from Song of the Sun, bred by Eliza Park and leased to the stable.
Out of a half sister to Group One winner and sire, Magnus and 2008 Schillaci Stakes-G2 winner Wilander, the filly: “trialled this morning and galloped beautifully”.
Recently cracking the ton, it appears it won’t be long before Bel Esprit produces the winners of another 100 races, particularly with half a dozen winners in the past week including a double last Saturday with Esprit de Roses and Apple Esprit, Spirited Halo at Sandown, the unbeaten La Bella Roo and 5 length winner Beau Esprit.