Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday December 29

Brave Smash (JPN) came into his own as a five and six-year-old, which makes it even more exciting that the Aquis Farm stallion has made such a promising start with his first two-year-old crop.

There are competitive two-year-old races at Randwick, and Moonee valley on Saturday and Brave Smash (JPN) has leading chances in both.

At Randwick, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Hachiman looks likely to improve on his debut run in the Magic Millions Wyong 2yo Classic (RL).

The gelding was three and a half lengths behind the promising Capitalist colt Sovereign Fund who faces off against three opponents at Doomben on Saturday.

Like his sire, Hachiman carries the colours of Australia Bloodstock, who feature as the breeder of Brave Smash’s second runner on Saturday,

Mansiere a $50,000 Inglis Classic yearling

Trained by Nick Ryan, Mansiere makes his career debut in the Summer Membership On Sale Now (1000m) at Moonee Valley. The likely favourite in the race is Lindsay Park’s Brazen Beau filly Croatian Belle who could not have been any more impressive when winning on debut at the Valley on December 16.

Express Racing / Nick Ryan Racing plucked Mansiere out of the Lustre Lodge draft for $50,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

He is the third foal of the talented Dubleo (USA) mare Double Dee, who won five and placed in ten of her 25 starts for Jason Warren.

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Purchased by Australian Bloodstock/Brave Smash Syndicate for $50,000 at the 2019 National Broodmare Sale, Double Dee went through the same sale two years later, with James Harron picking up the tag for $75,000. She was carrying the now yearling colt by Hellbent, and her pedigree page had a significant upgrade.

Double Dee

It did not harm the bottom line that Double Dee’s dual Group 1 winning half-brother Shamus Award (Snitzel) was emerging as one of the nations leading sires.

In addition, Double Dee’s half-sister Fimatino produced that season’s leading 2yo Shaquero (Shalaa), who burst out of the blocks to win the Group III Breeders’ Plate, Group III Pago Pago Stakes and Magic Millions 2yo Classic.

Double Dee’s dam Sunset Express (Success Express) is a half-sister to the top Singapore performer Ghozi (Catbird). She is a granddaughter of From The Wood (Tap On Wood), who won the Group III Concorde Stakes at Phoenix Park for Kevin Prendergast and later won a race at Randwick.

The Bob Hannon-owned Sunset Express earned an honourable pension at the start of the month after failing to get in foal for three seasons. Her final foal is a 2yo Hellent filly named Nautic Dusk, in training with Kris Less.

Her daughter Double Dee has a yearling Hellbent colt, but her Cosmic Force foal tragically died after birth in October.  

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