Brave Design notches first stakes win
Yarraman Park stallion Brave Smash (Tosen Phantom) illustrated the highs and lows of racing when he chalked up stakes winner number four at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
One day earlier, connections of Brave Smash’s finest progeny – Kimochi – suffered a devastating blow when the four-year-old mare suffered what appeared to be a career-ending tendon tear in the off foreleg.
But on Saturday the 11-year-old stallion looked to have another classy performer confirmed when the Danny O’Brien-trained two-year-old Brave Design took out Eagle Farm’s Oxlade Stakes (Listed, 1200m) in slashing style.
Ridden by regular rider Jordan Childs, Brave Design bounced well from gate one and travelled sweetly in sixth on the fence. Angled into the clear on straightening, the colt strode determinedly past leader Isti Star (Better Than Ready) at the 100 metres and came away for a straightforward win, by 1.59 lengths.
A $150,000 purchase from Yarraman’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Brave Design broke through at start number five.
He’d run three placings including a debut third in Flemington’s Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) followed by a second in the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m). Another second in Morphettville’s David Coles Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) was followed by a decent fourth in Eagle Farm’s Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) on a bottomless heavy 10.
O’Brien chose to drop back to the 1200 metres of the Oxlade over the JJ Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m) later in the afternoon, and was handsomely rewarded.
“Obviously, we had the option of running him in the JJ Atkins off his [Sires’] run the other day, but we were keen to get a win on the board with him,” O’Brien told Channel 7.
“I wasn’t sure at the mile either, so we took the softer option. Once he drew that gate it was always going to be straightforward. And fortunately that’s the way it worked out.
“He’s a very honest colt. Every time he’s been to the races for us he’s been in a high grade and he’s run very well each time.
“I think there’ll be good improvement in him. He’s by Brave Smash, a horse who hasn’t had a lot of runners but he’s had some good ones.
“We’ll probably keep him up here for the next couple of weeks, potentially run him one more time on Tatts Tiara day, then come down to Melbourne off a little freshen-up. It’s always a good recipe for the Melbourne spring.”
Brave Design earned a little market support as a $7 chance. Isti Star, chasing a third successive win after taking the $1 million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic (1000m), eased to $11 before earning her first dash of black type, while third-placegetter Royal Chic (Graff) started at $15 for her maiden stakes placing. Peter Snowden’s $2.80 favourite Quietly Arrogant (Capitalist) appeared disappointing in finishing 14th of the 16.
The Japanese-bred Brave Smash, who will stand for $27,500 (inc GST) in his seventh season at stud – down from $33,000 – now has four stakes winners from 88 Australian runners.
Brave Design is the sixth and best foal of dual city winner Our Design (Stratum), a half-sister to stakes victor Tales Of Fashion (Tale Of The Cat).
Second dam Queen Of Fashion (Last Tycoon) is an Australian-bred half-sister to Irish-bred Secrete Marina (Mujadil), the stakes-placed dam of two European Champions: Willie Cazals (Aussie Rules) was Italy’s Champion 3YO of 2011, before being imported to New Zealand, via a stint in Hong Kong, to win the Livamol Classic (Gr 1, 2040m) at his final start.
And Joanna (High Chaparral) was Italy’s Champion 2YO Filly of 2009, and France’s Champion 3YO Sprinter of 2010, winning at Group 2 and Group 3 level.
The Australian Stud Book has no record of Our Design being covered in the past two years, since bearing Brave Design.
Yarraman Park will hope the handsome dark colt can step up into the void left by Kimochi among the progeny of Brave Smash, with the career of his sole Group 1 winner appearing over.
The Gary Portelli-trained, Yulong-owned four-year-old had been among the leading market fancies for Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m).
But after she pulled up sore following a routine trot and canter on Friday morning, scans showed a serious tendon tear in the off-fore.
“The vet told me this is something that won’t heal to a point where she’d be able to race, so she’ll be retired for sure,” Portelli told ANZ News.
“We’re devastated. We’re all just in shock. We’ve lost the best horse in the stable now, so it’s not an easy pill to swallow.”
Bought by her original owner Leo To at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale for just $21,000, sold to Yulong last year for $2.2 million, and having earned $2.1 million on the track, Kimochi will now head to Yulong for a spell.
A decision on whether the Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner will start breeding this spring or needs more to time to recover will be made in the coming weeks.