Afleet Esprit claimed the first leg of a Flemington double for Vinery with a last-to-first victory in the Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m) on Saturday.
The David Hayes trained filly will be set for the G1 Thousand Guineas next month. “She’s shown plenty of quality at home and I was thrilled to see her produce it at the races with that burst of acceleration,” Hayes said. “It was a good quality field of fillies and she will head to the Thousand Guineas via the Prelude.”
Afleet Esprit (3f Bel Esprit – Bonded by Danewin) broke away from the field in tandem with Lumosty and she firmed to $18 for the Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 11.
She had won a Geelong maiden in June and then did just enough to defeat Godolphin filly Avanti at Moonee Valley last month. “We gave them a good start today but she finished powerfully,” jockey Damien Oliver said. “We can work out if she is going to get to a mile after the Prelude.”
Vinery catalogued Afleet Esprit for the 2013 Gold Coast Magic Millions as agent for Echo Beach Bloodstock owner Alan Green but she was withdrawn before the sale. The Torquay based breeder is also a partner in Vinery Australia.
Her dam Bonded has a yearling filly by Pluck and is due to foal to Big Brown in October.
Commanding Jewel (Commands) completed a Flemington double for Vinery partner Greg Perry in the G2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m). Perry sold her for $205,000 at the 2011 Magic Millions through Vinery and kept a share under his Greenwich Stud banner.
Commanding Jewel is a younger half-sister to Champion Vinery graduate Atlantic Jewel.
