Il Braccio Impresses on Debut - Half-Sister by Maurice Heading to Inglis Classic

Mark Smith - Tuesday December 28

A quartet of promising three-year-olds captured the first four races at Yarra Glenn on Tuesday, and there was a lot to like about the Logan McGill-trained debutant Il Braccio.

Il Braccio shows them a clean pair of heels (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos

Ridden by Will Gordon, the son of Air Force Blue (USA) was the lone first-starter in the 1209m maiden and was not expected to trouble the odd-on favourite Tricology. But defeat him he did, leaving the Peter Moody-trained son of Belardo 4-lengths in his wake.  

“He has done everything right to date,” McGill said.

“We came here with our confidence knocked a bit by the odds-on favourite but thinking we had a nice horse, and thankfully it proved that way.

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“He is only going to get better and better with time. He is six months off furnishing in to a proper racehorse. He is doing that on ability alone, so it is quite exciting.

“Before today, the intention was to give him one run and tip him out for the autumn. But we will see how he comes through this and assess him from there. “

Il Braccio was a bargain-basement $2,000 purchase by Bill Jones from the Glastonbury Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.

He is the first winner of two to race out of the unraced More Than Ready (USA) mare Praiano.

It will be good news for Riversdale, who consign a Maurice (JPN) half-sister to Il Braccio to the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Praiano is out of the stakes-placed Fastnet Rock mare Miss O’Brien, a daughter of the talented racemare Yvonne (Last Tycoon), whose eight wins included the Group III SAJC Auraria Stakes and a pair of Listed events.

Air Force Blue

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Race Result - Bet365 Racing Refunds Mdn 1209m

Yarra Glen Track: Good(4) Time: 1:11.68
1
Il Braccio
- 3g Air Force Blue (USA) x Praiano (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Logan McGill Rdr: W Gordon 58
2
4.0
Tricology
- 3g Belardo (IRE) x Ohio Girl (AUS) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: J Benbow 58
NZB National Weanling Sale $13,000
Seller: Haunui Farm
Buyer: DG Bloodstock
3
4.3
Debatable
- 4g Dissident (AUS) x Toast Of The Coast (AUS) (Rory's Jester (AUS))
Tnr: Peter Smith Rdr: Kiran Quilty 57.5
4
5.0
Turf Flyer
- 4g Turffontein (AUS) x Madame De Costa (AUS) (Choisir (AUS))
Tnr: Ms L Shand Rdr: B Higgins 59.5
5
5.1
Eurellydidit
- 4g Magic Albert (AUS) x L'aria (AUS) (Lucky Owners (NZ))
Tnr: G Eurell Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 59.5
6
6.1
Leolaine
- 3f All Too Hard (AUS) x Leotie (AUS) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: Henry Dwyer Rdr: Michael Poy 56
7
6.4
Honest Legend
- 3g Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Z'honor (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: J D Sadler Rdr: J Mott 58
8
9.2
Westminster Abbe
- 5g The King's Cross (AUS) x Abbe Cat (AUS) (Campo Catino (IRE))
Tnr: S S Cunningham Rdr: Lewis German 59.5
9
44.2
Grand Deposition
- 3g Star Witness (AUS) x Splendido (AUS) (Stratum (AUS))
Tnr: K & K Keys Rdr: C Newitt 58
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