ARCHITECT BUILDS ON REPUTATION

5 winners for Bel Esprit on Saturday & Sunday

Bel Esprit has cleared out to a handy lead in the Australian Leading Sires by winners premiership, with a margin of 7 as of Sunday night.

And while Diamond Glow might have put paid to any chance of a win in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield on Saturday following a tardy start, the Peter Moody trained filly still grabbed second and could still figure prominently in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes next month.

But if most eyes were on Diamond Glow, Bel Esprit had another to carry the 2YO flag in Architect, who ran away with the Hot 91.1 QTIS 2YO Handicap on the Sunshine Coast – a fitting follow up to his midfield performance in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic on 12 January.

The David Lawlor trained youngster (from the Nashwan mare Rozanee) resumed in December with a second at Eagle Farm before his third in the Group Three McLachlan Stakes at Doomben on 29 December.

Architect was one of three winners for Bel Esprit on Saturday, kicking off with – we here tell – the very first winner in Australia on Australia Day when Talbanga won over 1000m at Wagga.

Out of the Dr Grace mare, Let’s Say Grace, Talbanga was having his first start for Vincent Nolan and couldn’t have been more impressive, clearing out by 4.3 lengths as a $1.80 favourite.

However, the run of the day was that of Mick Price’s Loveyamadly (below) who stalked the leader throughout before taking out the City of Glen Eira Handicap at Caulfield in fine fashion and lifting her earnings to over $130k.

It was some effort (deemed ‘arrogant’ by jockey Dale Smith) and the mare – from the Danehill Dancer matron Beauty World – has now won four from six with two placings and appears poised to take on peers at the elite level.

Meanwhile, Bel Esprit was at it again on Sunday with a running double at Werribee: with Darwin taking out the Better Solar Handicap, followed by Sound of Victory in the TAB Handicap.

Darwin (ex. Lady Acumen by Sound Reason) has now won over $100k in stakes from five victories, while Sound of Victory (ex. My Jaspa by Heroicity) picked up his second win for the Ellerton/Zahra combo.