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23/02/02 Roll on Sydney - Bel Tolls in Diamond
0223belesprit.jpg (9381 bytes)Bel Esprit continued his unbeaten run and established himself as Australia's best two-year-old when he scored a gutsy win in this afternoon's Group 1 AAMI Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.

After jumping out of the gates well the colt went to the front of the field where the outsider Sparpower eye balled him for about 400 metres before the Bel Esprit sneaked away to an early break.

At the point of the home turn the margin got closer to three lengths as Wayne "Smokey" Treloar kicked the colt toward the winning post.

Despite getting very weary over the concluding stages the son of Royal Academy held a neck margin over the classy filly Brief Embrace.

The win capped off an emotional week for trainer John Symons and all of the staff at his Macedon Lodge stables.

Winning Victoria's richest race for two-year-olds was not bad for a horse which had reportedly broken down last weekend.

Symons, a quiet spoken rising talent in the training world, was forced to squash the rumours and declare his colt "fit and well and ready for the Diamond."

Today's result was more like a relief rather than a triumph for everyone at Macedon Lodge.

0223rtosc.jpg (10624 bytes)The pressure of preparing the hottest Blue Diamond runner since Rancher must have been intense and this afternoon's positive result was "testament to the team."

"The whole team at Macedon Lodge have to each take some credit for this win. Everyone has worked so hard with today being the aim," Symons said.

"To win the Blue Diamond is a great thrill and it's been a great day," he added.

Not surprisingly Symons was beaming after the win, which was "clearly the best I'd ever had."

While Symons is rapidly climbing the ladder in his chosen profession the win was at the other end of the scale for triumphant jockey Wayne Treloar.

More commonly known as "Smokey," Treloar was nearly dead and buried as a top class rider before the Macedon Lodge and Bel Esprit show started.

Symons calls it a "resurrection," whatever it is there wasn't one person among the thousands at Caulfield willing to begrudge Treloar his moment of glory at "The Heath."

Symons and Bel Esprit's part owners, who include Essendon AFL coach Kevin Sheedy, will be hoping their horse can be lucky number five.

Only four horses have gone on to win the Golden Slipper in Sydney after taking the Blue Diamond in Melbourne. If Bel Esprit wins he will be following in the footsteps of Courtza (1989), Bounding Away (1986), Manikato (1978) and John's Hope (1972).

"It's the logical next step to tackle the Golden Slipper. It probably depends how he pulls up but it (the Slipper) is very, very attractive," Symons said.

While Treloar didn't want to predict much about his future in the saddle he was lavish in the praises of Symons.

"This is going to be the first of many Group One wins for John, I can assure you of that," Treloar told the huge crowd.

PICS - Quentin Lang.

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