TIMING OF WIN IS PEACHY

BEL ESPRIT’s Peach Tree (below) is clearly one of the most exciting horses in the West … has been for some time.
Recording her fifth city win yesterday – first up from a spell – the command performance followed up from a neck second in the Belmont Oaks-LR (2000m) in July and a resounding victory in the Belmont Classic-LR (2200m) a fortnight later.
So, to win on a resumption over 1100m among quality rivals, speaks volumes for her quality.
Yes, she’s pretty darn good and while her return to the stage would have pleased connections (who have had their initial $75,000 yearling investment more than trebled), the victory was also music to the ears of her breeder, Kevin Sheedy.
After all, the AFL legend will be selling – via the Eliza Park draft – a full sister to Peach Tree at the upcoming Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
Indeed, the Bel Esprit filly from Naturalism mare, Georgia, enters the Oaklands Junction ring as Lot 3 on the morning of 28 February and will undoubtedly put a few more bums on seats.
Georgia’s stud record weighs heavily in favour of a potential buyer given that she’s had five to the races for five winners (three of them by Bel Esprit).
This is also the family of Champion filly Triscay and Group One winner La Baraka.
Perth Racing has this to say about the “bomb proof” mare: “Versatile Peach Tree returned to racing in a blaze of glory at Ascot on Saturday, when coming from a rearward position to defeat her more fancied rivals in the Bonaire Sprint (1100m).
“Peach Tree did catch the eye in a recent Lark Hill barrier trial, but with in-form gallopers Werd, Golden Heart and Henry De Horse among the seven horse field, punters regarded her as an each way chance at best.
Race favourite Werd assumed the role as pace maker, but Henry De Horse made him work fairly solidly early in the race, before he was able to eventually find the fence.
“Top jockey William Pike had Peach Tree settled at the rear of the field, but when he pushed the go button in the home straight she exploded with a devastating turn of foot.”
See you at Oaklands Junction!

Another one away
Another impressive Bel Esprit victory yesterday was that of Le Bel Away, who flew away with the Adelaide Casino Adelaide Cup March 14th Handicap over 1800m at Morphettville (they’d almost turned for home by the time they could spit out that name!).
A classy 3YO filly who was only stepping out for the fifth time, the Darren Weir trained youngster won her maiden in Victoria in December and was having her first outing in South Australia.
Out of the King of Kings mare Let’s Fly Away – a half sister to Melbourne Group Two winner Mr Martini and related to Champion Strawberry Road – Le Bel Away was bred by highly successful art dealer, Rod Menzies.