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).
Winner of the Group III MRC Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Australia Day at his first run back from a spell, Brave Mead was subsequently second in the Group III MRC Zeditave Stakes before being freshened for the Sydney Carnival.
Ciaron Maher had him sharp and ready to fire at Rosehill and he was strong to the line edging out Schwarz and Corniche in a thriller to win by half a length.
“It was a huge win, the horse is going super, I don’t think he’s ever finished outside the placings,” said Ciaron Maher.
“This is a race we targeted for Australian Bloodstock. They are great to deal with and are a great group of owners, they have a really good horse and they they also raced the old man (Brave Smash), which probably gives them a bit more satisfaction.”
Brave Mead runs in the Australian Bloodstock colours and has the tidy record of five wins and six placings form 12 starts with earnings topping $660,000 and the promise of more to come with the Group I ATC All Aged Stakes (1400m) next month a possibility.
“I thought we could work towards the All Aged and give him his chance to step up. He was very tough today and we know he can run 1400m,” Maher said.
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 Yarraman Park’s Brave Smash again last spring.
