BEL ESPRIT SILVER STRIKES GOLD

Leon Corstens’ lightning fast, Silver Bullion, captured the Kensington Stakes-LR at Flemington on Saturday (16 January) becoming, as Breednet reports, the eighth stakes winner for Bel Esprit and the second in a week for Victoria’s Champion Sire.

Lightly raced Bel Esprit four year-old Silver Bullion gave his sale bound half brother a tremendous boost when he scored an impressive win in the Kensington Stakes-LR (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
A graduate of the 2007 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Silver Bullion held out Arinos to win in a thrilling finish.
Silver Bullion was able to make amends to connections and followers after his recent first up defeat when favourite at the same track.
“We had the winkers on him last start and he just raced that little bit fresh. He probably did quite a bit of work early, so he was flat for the last 50,” a jubliant Troy Corstens reported post race.
“Two or three weeks between runs and freshened him up and he’s done very well today.”
Corstens said they chose to run in the Listed event in an attempt to earn black type for connections, who are breeders (Dr Vu Van Tu and Amanda Lockett) and it was timely with his half brother set to go under the hammer next month.
“We sat down and did the form during the week and thought we could run fourth, maybe third and the owners down in Tasmania own the mare (dam) so we were trying to get some black type.
“It’s worked out a little better than we thought.”
Connections feel that Silver Bullion has more wins in store and is in for a lucrative campaign.
“I think he will try and win some more races like this,” Corstens added. “He’s got a pretty good record now – so he’s going OK.”
Silver Bullion is the eighth stakes winner for Eliza Park based Bel Esprit and his third stakes winner this season, joining unbeaten Black Caviar and Beltrois.
Silver Bullion has now earned over $185,000, is from the Moonee Valley winning mare Silver Barbie.
A daughter of Desert King, Silver Barbie is represented by an outstanding yearling at the upcoming Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale at Launceston.
The youngster is catalogued as Lot 69 and is Super VOBIS qualified.
“He’s an outstanding individual,” Magic Millions’ Tony Williams claims. “He is certainly entitled to be one of the top sellers of the auction.
“He is a great type and he’s now a half brother to an impressive Flemington stakes winner, he has a lot going for him.”