Bel Esprit’s winner tally for the season increased to 23 at Bendigo on Thursday when 2008 Adelaide Magic Millions graduate Belle Diva won at Bendigo.

Belle Diva (3f Bel Esprit – Manly Belle by Star Watch) won the Silks Function Centre 3YO Plate (1000m) by four lengths on debut.  She is trained at Kyneton by Neil Dyer and was a $15,000 bargain buy from Ducatoon Park at the Adelaide sale.

Dyer went into the race with a good deal of confidence.  “I thought Belle Diva was well above average,” he said.  “She’s run good time and there was a bit of a head-wind in the straight as well.  It was very pleasing.”

Eliza Park sire Bel Esprit got the Bendigo winner from Manly Belle (Star Watch).  The dam was a Sydney juvenile winner and she has also thrown four-time Adelaide winner Madam Lush (Danehill Dancer).

Manly Belle is a half sister to the dam of crack New Zealand galloper Wahid (Almutawakel), a G1 winner of the New Zealand Derby and Levin Classic.

Belle Diva was bred by Flower Hill Stud and Manly Belle followed up with a Street Cry filly in November 2008.  Sadly, the mare died in August aged 19.