Luck goes Espurante's Way

Magic Millions Media Release - 13 January 2009

Proven stakes winning mare Espurante scored the biggest win of her career when she rattled home for a popular win in the $206,696 Paspaley Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Handicap (1300m) at the Gold Coast.

A member of the powerful John O’Shea stables in Sydney, Espurante came into today’s fillies and mares feature in great form and with luck on her side this time around, the result went her way.

The Randwick based horseman said he felt the mare running into a little trouble for one stage in the straight actually helped her in the long run. “She got held up a little, but it probably helped in the end – helped her run the 1300 (metres) right out. She’s always been a black type filly. She’s a stakes winning Flying Spur mare – there aren’t too many of them around!”.

In the run to the line Espurante, with former South African Glyn Schofield aboard, had a three quarter length margin over the locally trained Insistence – who skipped clear in the straight and took a lot of catching. In a busy finish the Kyneton mare Laletta was third – just ahead of Jumaana, Satsang and last year’s winner Bareena.

Espurante, bred by Ron and Debbie Gilbert at their Highgrove Stud on Queensland’s Darling Downs, is by Danehill’s leading sire son Flying Spur, and is one of five winners from the stakes winner La Rose Noir. A daughter of Centaine, La Rose Noir won seven races during her career, headlined by her victory in the listed FAI Bowl Handicap at Pukekohe.

With stakes earnings of $274,930 already and her broodmare value taken into account – her purchase for $260,000 at the 2006 Magic Millions Yearling Sale is looking a bargain.

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