A Brave Win Indeed

Te Akau trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson had a perfect start to Waikato Cup Day, when To Bravery Born (3 g Snitzel – Milunka, by All Too Hard) resumed with victory in the $65,000 Wentwood Grange 3YO 1200 metres on Saturday at Te Rapa.

One of the leading two-year-olds last season, including a win in the first race on their calendar at Wanganui, before finishing fourth to stable-mate La Dorada in the Karaka Millions 2YO and third in the Group 3 Matamata Slipper won by stable-mate Return To Conquer, To Bravery Born maintained his impeccable fresh-up record of four wins from four resuming starts.

With stable rider Opie Bosson ONZM aboard, To Bravery Born was unable to muster early from barrier one, getting back to last on a competitive pace, and was six lengths off the leaders at the 600m. However patience paid off and he received a nice run through at the 300m and powered home for a smart win.

Paraded in sensational order, it was a classy performance by a horse that learnt his trade as a two-year-old, won fresh-up as a three-year-old in August at Taupo, and took a decent step towards further Group race assignments. 

“Coming to the turn he started coming up underneath me,” Bosson said. “I knew he’s got a good sprint and he goes well fresh, and they went pretty quick up front, so I knew they’d be coming back to me halfway up the straight.

“He’s definitely got ability and he certainly goes better fresh, so it’s about keeping him on the fresh side, but I think he’s a good racehorse.”

Bosson had only returned to riding this week, following a mandatory standdown for concussion.

“The bang on the head took a lot out of me and I was a bit down and out for a couple weeks, but the marbles are starting to stop rattling up there now, anyway,” he added. 

In the same race, La Dorada raced outside the leader, was outsprinted in the straight, but came again over the concluding stages with a solid finish for fourth. 

On Good4 footing, To Bravery Born ran 1200 metres in 1:10.1, last 600m in 34.0 (approx.), and paid $7.10 & $1.90 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“I don’t know what happened at the start, he was bit slow away, but Opie is back in form and I said that to him yesterday when he rode a winner for us (Tagalomu) in race two at Tauranga, which I thought he rode well,” Walker said. “It takes a while to get your eye back in, but he’s well and truly got that now.

“He’s got a great record fresh, this horse, and he’s probably got a bit better win in him yet.” 

Walker suggested that To Bravery Born could be aimed towards the $250,000 Group 3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy on Karaka Millions' night (Saturday 24 January) at Ellerslie. 

On the performance of Champion Two-Year-Old La Dorada, Walker added: “It was a pass mark, but still the jury is out and she hasn’t quite recaptured that two-year-old form.”

From a dam line that Te Akau has had plenty of success, To Bravery Born was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $200,000 at the Karaka 2024 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Curraghmore Stud, and is owned by Te Akau Secret Identity Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

“The team has done a great job with him and, gee, he presented looking a picture before the race,” said Ellis, on course.

“I wasn’t sure of his chances after getting back to last, but they went a pretty good gallop and Opie rode a beautiful race to get the job done.

“To Bravery Born is from a family we’ve had so much success, going back to Distinctive Darci and the 1000 Guineas winner Kahma Lass, and just last week, we trained another winner, Drops Of God, at Te Aroha, for Greg Tomlinson.

“It really is a top family and this horse looks like he’s going places, too.

“Also, thanks to the sponsors, Wentwood Grange, they’re wonderful breeders that we buy from, they’ve supported us with some top horses to train over the years, and we’ve had success in this race a few times now.”

Te Akau won the corresponding race last year with Damask Rose (Savabeel), who went on to win the $1.5m Karaka Million 3YO (Listed, 1600m) and inaugural running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m).

They also trained Wild Night (Vanbrugh) to win the race in 2022, and 2020 with Mai Tai (Atlante), bred and owned by the Hawkins family at Wentwood Grange. 

By the four-time Champion Sire in Australia, Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), who was also the Leading Sire of Two-Year-Olds four times, the dam of To Bravery Born, dual winner Milunka, is by proven sire All Too Hard (Casino Prince), a half-brother to unbeaten Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and sire of Queensland Horse of the Year and seven-time Group One winner Alligator Blood.

The illustrious dam side of the family is very well known by Te Akau, through the outstanding deeds of grand-dam Distinctive Lass (Orientate).

From the same draft (Curraghmore Stud), Ellis purchased Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas' winner Kahma Lass (Darci Brahma), a subsequent stakes' winner at Caulfield; stakes' placed winner of three Wairau Cove (Darci Brahma), and big winner Distinctive Darci (Darci Brahma). 

A smart four-length trial winner on debut at Te Aroha, Distinctive Darci transferred to Te Akau's Singapore stable and Mark Walker, where he won 11 races, including a Group Two, and over NZ$1 million in prize money. 

To Bravery Born's dam Milunka is also a half-sister to Kuro (Denman), winner of five stakes' races in a total of eight wins, and Southern Lad (Ocean Park) who also won seven in Australia, while overall, Distinctive Lass has produced 10 individual winners of 37 races. 

In addition, Ellis purchased five-time Group One winner and Champion Sire Darci Brahma (Danehill) as a yearling at Karaka, and the mating with Distinctive Lass has worked extraordinarily well. 

The fourth dam, Special (Habituate), won 10 races including three Group Ones, all at Flemington: the Newmarket Handicap (1200m), the Lightning Stakes (1000m) and the Gadsden Stakes (1200m). At stud, Special produced 14 foals, 10 raced and nine were winners.

A total of 13 stakes' winners and eight stakes'-placed performers descend from Sal II (Sallust), the dam of Special.

To Bravery Born carries a cross of Danehill through his sire-lines, and Snippets on the sire line of Snitzel and dam line of All Too Hard. 

His name comes through the incredible deeds of his dam's namesake Milunka, she is certainly worth a google, her brave history is an incredible story in itself.

To Bravery Born was strapped by Megan Ross. 

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz