Vivacious Spirit (2004)

Vivacious Spirit, a super talented daughter of Bel Esprit was not accepted for sale and was kept by Tarcoola Stud to race. The doubts held about her legs soon forgotten as Caulfield trial watchers were amazed when one morning the then unraced filly walked out of the barriers in an 800 metre jump out – estimations settling on her being 10 lengths last – before rounding the field up and going away to win by a length and a half. Her time recorded that morning was just a tick slower than that set by the champion weekend Hussler when winning his trial.

After two more (winning) trials to get her barrier manners right, Vivacious Spirit debuted with a comprehensive win in a 16 horse field at Ballarat.

At just her third race start she became Group Three placed when 2nd to Gamble Me in the Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200 metres) at Caulfield.

She subsequently easily accounted for boom filly La Goulue before putting in a brilliant performance when caught late by her stablemate Light Fantastic after doing all the donkey work out front in the Group Two Perri Cutten Stakes over 1400 metres at Caulfield. Behind her that day were luminaries the calibre of Turffontein, Marching and Littorio.

To end just her 2nd campaign, Vivacious Spirit ventured across the border to South Australia to take on the males again in the  Group Two Yallambee Stakes – just being beaten 3/4 of a length by Diplomatic Force after she looked the likely winner.

Her third campaign in the spring of 2008 would be her last, and it resulted with a Group Three victory in the How Now Stakes (1200 metres) at Caulfield.

Her 12 race career returning 3 wins and 6 placings and won over $254,000. She contested Group or Listed Races on 8 occasions and won or was placed 50% of the time.

The most accurate assessment of a horse is not an opinion – it is the clinical measure of a speedfigure. By this unbiased view, Vivacious Spirit is regarded as the second best daughter of the mighty Bel Esprit – only Black Caviar recording better speedfigures.

With further connection to Black Caviar, it must be noted that Vivacious Spirit is bred to the same highly successful Bel Esprit / Snippets nick.

Though Vivacious Spirit’s career was not one of great longevity, she did nonetheless grace the racetrack with great ability and endeavour.

She has been retained by Tarcoola Stud as a broodmare and is expected to have a very successful career.

First foal of Vivacious Spirit is the outstanding filly, Costa Viva, Group One winner of the New Zealand 1000 Guineas at just her 4th racetrack appearance.

 

Read what the racing media around the world is saying about Vivacious Spirit at stud:

“Costa Viva has provided a spectacular launch for her dam’s second career ►”