Bel Mer in Top Form

Leading Victorian sire Bel Esprit posted his first stakes-winner of the new season when quality four year-old mare Bel Mer proved too good in the Listed MRC Clamms Seafood Stakes over 1100 metres at Caulfield on Saturday.

Resuming from a spell and a months pretraining at Rockmount, the Mick Price trained Bel Mer finished with a well-timed run to grab smart Red Ransom (USA) entire Red Element, who endured a tough run in transit and honest campaigner Monet’s Rules.

Failure of the race was last year’s Horse of the Year Miss Andretti, who finished an inglorious last with trainer Lee Freedman recommending the champion be retired to stud.

“Physically she seemed fine, but there was always a doubt about whether she had come back and Dwayne said that under pressure she just didn’t want to be there,” said Freedman.

On the positive side from the race, the winner and Rockmount pretrainer Bel Mer is headed for Group One company with trainer Mick Price outlining plans to tackle the MVRC Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley in a few weeks time.

Bel Mer has three wins and five placings from 11 starts and earnings of $343,700 for her syndicate of owners that include Vinery Stud in whose colours she runs.

Purchased for $110,000 by Belmont Bloodstock from the draft of Eliza Park Stud at the 2006 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Bel Mer is the fifth foal of the stakes-winning At Talaq (USA) mare Drop Anchor, a daughter of another stakes-winner in Marine Park.