An ominous second to Lankan Rupee when resuming from a spell in the Group I VRC Lightning Stakes last month, the Chris Waller trained three year-old colt Brazen Beau gave his older rivals a galloping lesson to win the Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on Saturday.
Ridden a treat by Joao Moreira, Brazen Beau always looked the winner after the field jumped, and what a field it was – featuring established stars Lankan Rupee, Terravista and Chautauqua!
Brazen Beau was in cruise control just behind the leader and when allowed some rein, he quickly put the issue beyond doubt, bounding clear to win the 1200 metre sprint by the best part of three lengths in a slick 1:09.24.
He was professional, explosive and quite simply in a class of his own.
Joao Moreira won the Group II ATC Roman Consul Stakes and Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring on Brazen Beau and has become a huge fan of the powerhouse sprinter.
“That win means a lot to me, we all know how tough it is to win Group I races here and I was very lucky to find this horse and stay on him,” he said.
“He just put himself close and travelled so kindly. When I put him under pressure a little bit he just gave me such a good, strong kick. I thought he would quite easily because he was just attacking the line and putting all that he had into the race.”
A $70,000 Inglis Classic purchase from the draft of Murrulla Stud for Grant Morgan’s Ontrack Thoroughbreds, Brazen Beau was secured by Darley for a future stud career at the end of the spring carnival after his win in the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes, but is leased back by his original big group of owners for the time being.
Brazen Beau has now won five of 10 starts earning $1.4 million in prizemoney and looms as a serious contender for the Royal Ascot meeting later this year.
Bred by Bernie Howlett, who also trained his mother, Brazen Beau is the second winner for former handy juvenile Sansadee, who was third in a Group III Canberra Black Opal Stakes.
He has a power packed pedigree carrying a 4 x 3 double cross of not one but two super sires in Danzig and Bletchingly, while his tail female line traces back to Windy Answer, who is also the ancestress of champion sires Encosta de Lago and Flying Spur.
Sansadee has been a regular visitor to I Am Invincible and has a colt foal by the red hot young sire and was one of 211 mares covered by him last year.
Champion Australian First Season Sire and now leading Australian Second Season Sire with some 50% winners to runners, I Am Invincible has had a fee increase for 2015 and will stand at Yarraman Park for $55,000.
