BEL ESPRIT CUP DOUBLE

BEL ESPRIT also had a winning afternoon on Cup day with a double via Belgietto and Royal Express.
Bel Esprit shareholder and blogger, Brian Donohoe, reports that a crowd of 5200 flooded into Bairnsdale racecourse and witnessed a very good win by Belgietto who took out his second victory by storming home over the 1000m journey.
Trained at Moe by Peter Gelagotis, Belgietto was first up from a five month spell: “We more or less brought him here to give him a trial and he did the job well. I believe this horse is amongst the best I have trained and he is certainly city class,” Gelagotis said. “Within his next couple of runs we will be looking at a metropolitan race and on today’s effort he has certainly come back well.”
Belgietto is out of the Sackford mare Adagietto a dual stakes winner in Melbourne and dam of stakes placed mare Radio Song.
Meanwhile, Royal Express followed up six previous placings with a solid win over 1200m at Wodonga, edging out fellow Bel Esprit, Esprit de Jouet.
Bred by Rod Menzies and out of the Hennessy mare, Hennessia, Royal Express is closely related to SAJC Derby-G1 runnerup Vicksburg and hails from the family of Champion US mare Pebbles.
Royal Express was Bel Esprit’s 70th second crop winner from 92 starters.