BEL ESPRIT'S ALESPRIT A 'SUPERSTAR'

The win of Alesprit certainly caught the eye of Rockhampton's Morning Bulletin journo, Tony McMahon, who wrote the following after the Bel Esprit filly recorded her second win from four starts at the Gold Coast on 10 October.

“Baralba's Sid Everingham has labelled his freakish speedster Alesprit a “superstar” after her knock-out win in near-course record time over 900 metres at the Gold Coast last Saturday.
Firstly trained by Rockhampton’s Vic Vagg and then Tom Bourke, Alesprit was having her first start under the training partnership banner of Bevan and Richie Laming last Saturday when she exploded away in the lead to win by 4.75 lengths and record 49.77 seconds.
“Did you see the sectional time for the 600 metres?” Everingham asked over the phone during our talk yesterday.
Indeed I did, as Alesprit ran a wind-fast 31.78 seconds.
To which Sid replied: “That’s just unheard of for the last 600 metres”.
Raced by Sid and his wife Diana Everingham, the couple bought Alesprit for $35,000 as part of the draught from Kerrod and Glenda Smyth’s Laurel Glen Equine Centre, Alton Downs at the 2008 Capricorn Yearling Sales.
At the previous year’s Magic Millions National Winter Sale, Alesprit was sold as weanling at the Gold Coast by Oakwood Stud acting as agents for a paltry $2000.
Saturday’s win took Alsprit’s earnings to $52,800 from just four starts.
She was resuming from a second in the Capricorn Classic (1200m) at Rockhampton on April 4 which followed an 11.25 lengths record-breaking 1000 metres Rocky win registered as 56.76 seconds.
“We went down to the Coast last Saturday and Bevan said she was only about 85% fit,” Everingham said.
“Bevan (Laming) just said, ‘we’ll see what she can do’; I told Garry Baker the jockey that as he knows her, to let her go if she feels good. He told me Alesprit could have won by 10 or 12 lengths,” Sid enthused.
After the race Bevan Laming told Everingham that Alesprit would “improve four or five lengths”.
He said Alsprit had come through the race well and would now start at the Sunshine Coast in a $20,000 QTIS 3YO Class 3 Plate (1000m) on October 25.
“Then there are a few races for her at Eagle Farm and Doomben. I hoped there may be something for her soon in Melbourne.
“Anyhow, the money is good in Brisbane and after a few starts she’ll come home to us and spell for six weeks before getting ready for the big autumn carnivals in the south next year,” he said.
Named after Everingham’s sister Alice Ploughman, Alesprit underwent surgery for fetlock chips in April, hence her absence from racing.
“The operation was a success and I have done everything right by the horse. “Now it is all coming together,” he said.
“I really think she is a superstar,” Sid said of his pride and joy Alesprit.
Time, with Sid naturally wishing it to be in the record department, in due course will tell.”