Brave Smash Colt Wins G3 Manfred Stakes

Tara Madgwick - Friday January 26

A stakes-winner last season at two, Brave Smash (Jpn) colt Brave Mead was consistent in stakes races during the spring without winning one, but was rewarded for his consistency with a first up victory in the Group III MRC Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Australia Day.

Brave Mead wins the G3 Manfred Stakes - image Grant Courtney

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Brave Mead was give a positive ride by Blake Shinn from an inside gate and took up the lead, kicking clear off the turn and then holding off a late challenge from his stablemate King Colorado to win by a length.

Advertisement

A Group I winner at two, King Colorado was set some difficult tasks last spring, but the Kingman colt looks to have come back in great order with both colts sure to find further success as the remainder of their classic season unfolds.

“Once we established the lead and I was able to roll at my own tempo we had the favourite (Steparty) outside of us and with residual fitness that was our opportunity to beat him today and we used it to our advantage,” Shinn said.

Brave Mead runs in the Australian Bloodstock colours and has the tidy record of four wins and five placings form 10 starts with earnings topping $520,000 and the promise of more to come with sprint races to be his target during the autumn.

Brave Mead strikes a pose - image Grant Courtney

“Great ride from Blake Shinn and Brave Mead has been a super little horse for Australian Bloodstock,” said Ciaron Maher.

“I said to Blake, ‘take the luck out of it, he’s fit and well, so roll along’ and that was a winning move.

“King Colorado will head to the Australian Guineas at Flemington, which should be ideal for him and I think with this horse we’ll keep him to the sprints. He’s won at 1400, but I do think he’s better over the sharper trips.”

A $90,000 purchase for Ciaron Maher Racing when offered by Lustre Lodge at the 2021 Inglis July (Early) Online Sale, Brave Mead is a half-brother to Listed Geelong Classic winner Solemn, stakes-placed Honeywine and to the dam of Group III ATC Gloaming Stakes winner Raf Attack.

Bred by A B Breeding Venture, Brave Mead is the seventh winner from the nine to race for the Galileo mare Mead, a half-sister to Group I Australasian Oaks winner La Volta and dual Listed winner Terevega with the family also producing Group MRC Caulfield Guineas winner Mighty Boss.

Mead has a two year-old filly by Hellbent that was bought by Triple Crown for $130,000 at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale last year and she was covered by Brave Smash again last spring.

Brave Smash (Jpn)

Brave Mead looks a bright prospect for further stakes success this season and can keep his Yarraman Park based sire Brave Smash in the spotlight. Brave Smash has five yearlings for Inglis Classic.

Advertisment

Race Result - Tile Importer Manfred Stakes Gr3 1200m

Caulfield Track: Good(4) Time: 1:09.59
1
Brave Mead
- 3c Brave Smash (JPN) x Mead (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: B Shinn 58
Brave Smash
2
1
King Colorado
- 3c Kingman (GB) x More Aspen (USA) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: M Zahra 59.5
3
2
Steparty
- 3c Artie Schiller (USA) x Watch Your Step (AUS) (Sepoy (AUS))
Tnr: P A Preusker Rdr: John Allen 58.5
4
2.8
Amigo
- 3g Snitzel (AUS) x You're So Good (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: W Egan 57
5
3.2
Scentify
- 3c Justify (USA) x Fine Scent (AUS) (All Too Hard (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Ben Allen 57
6
4.2
Carbonados
- 3g Belardo (IRE) x Humoresque (NZ) (Iffraaj (GB))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: L Currie 58
More Reading...
Brave Mead First Stakes Winner for Brave Smash
It’s been a good week for the exciting young stallion Brave Smash (JPN). Kimochi won at Randwick on Wednesday, and Brave Mead credited the Aquis stallion with his first stakes-winner in the Listed Brix Property Group Valley Pearl (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Spring Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
Spring was in the air at Warwick Farm on Friday morning with a couple of heats for Group and Listed winners that included Lady Shenandaoh, Ceolwulf, plus Cups contender Sir Delius (GB).
Kiwi stayer Mark Twain on Comeback Trail
One-time Melbourne Cup fancy Mark Twain will make his first public appearance for more than 12 months when the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained gelding has an exhibition gallop at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Brave Mead Back to Best
A stakes-winner last season at two, Brave Smash (Jpn) colt Brave Mead would have been a certainty beaten if he had gotten rolled at Caulfield on Saturday, but he managed to get clear running at just the right time and hit the line hard for Mark Zahra to snatch a well-deserved win.
Brave Smash Colt Brave Mead Lights Up Pakenham
Narrowly defeated when a well-fancied third at Pakenham at his career debut on February 23, the Brave Smash (JPN) colt Brave Mead put his opponents to the sword in the Cookers Bulk Oil System Maiden (1200m) at Pakenham on Friday night.
G1 Plan for Brave Mead
A stakes-winner last season at two, Brave Smash (Jpn) colt Brave Mead has kept up the good work this year and added another stakes victory to his tally at Rosehill on Saturday when taking out the $200,000 Listed ATC Darby Munro Stakes (1200m).
Lookalike Star Turn Colt Franks Hot Form Race
When Angel Ladder won the first race at Geelong coming out of the VRC Next Gen Series Sprinters Final won by Jimmy Recard, you would think punters would have looked closely at Redders in the following event coming out of the same race, but he slipped under their guard.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
Spring was in the air at the Warwick Farm trials with some of the big banger older stars in action and some exciting rising three year-olds that include a filly that has potential superstar written all over her.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Who are we highlighting this week? - Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Expensive North Pacific Salutes at Geelong
The highest priced yearling for first season sire North Pacific, promising two year-old filly Angel Ladder opened her account with a tenacious win at Geelong on Friday.