Brave Snitzel Colt Goes Two for Two - Karka Million Next

Media Release - Sunday January 12

A short time ago, To Bravery Born was unlikely to get a shot at making the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) field, but the colt took his opportunity at Ellerslie on Sunday with a commanding victory in the Trackside.co.nz (1200m).

To Bravery Born dominating his rivals in Sunday's Trackside.co.nz (1200m) at Ellerslie.  Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

To Bravery Born was a comfortable winner of the first juvenile race back in August and was later set to run in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) on November 23, before an injury took him out of contention.

His trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson had almost come to the conclusion that the son of Snitzel wouldn’t be making the Karaka Millions this year, but a swift recovery had To Bravery Born fit and ready to add to his $14,375 haul, the intention of much of Sunday’s field.

Among the runners chasing a Millions spot was race-favourite Tale Of The Gypsy, who closed at $2.20 over the Te Akau runner ($4.80) and the big mover in the market, southern visitor Miss Ziggy ($6.50)

Jumping from the outside barrier, Tale Of The Gypsy was kept four-wide early outside of Fat Cat, before the pair pushed forward to take up the lead. Meanwhile, jockey Craig Grylls let To Bravery Born find his feet at the tail of the field, tracking Miss Ziggy into the straight before pulling out into the centre of the track.

Tale Of The Gypsy hit the front early on straightening but To Bravery Born was coming rapidly, storming over the top at the 150m and keeping his rivals at bay comfortably by 1 – ¼ lengths. The minor placings were hotly-contested, with Daylight Robbery gaining the all-important second position by a nose to the winner’s stablemate Dare To Proisir, and then just a head separated fourth and fifth placegetters Tale Of The Gypsy and Miss Ziggy.

Grylls had plenty of praise for the unbeaten colt, who now is assured of a start on January 25 with over $40,000 earned in two race-day appearances.

“It was great, from the draw we were going to go back and we ended up right back,” he said. “They went hard for the first furlong, then they steadied it up and made it a real sprint home.

“He’s angled out at the top of the straight and probably got there a bit soon if anything. He got there a lot quicker than I thought he was going too. It was a good win.

Advertisement

“He’s the type for it (Karaka Millions), he’s a real running two-year-old type. He won the first two-year-old race of the season, and now, he’s backed that up again with another one.”

Bergerson was ecstatic after the race, particularly when explaining the unique road back to the races for To Bravery Born.

“He had a bit of a strange prep to get to today, he was ready to go at Pukekohe but he twinged a muscle, so we thought his Karaka Million was over,” he said, “But, he bounced back remarkably well.

“Coming in without a trial, we were scratching our heads as to how he was going. Mark and I were talking this morning and we thought maybe he’s just a race-day horse as he’d been quite laidback at home.

“He relaxed lovely, it’ll be interesting to hear what Gryllsy thinks, up to 1200 as well off no trial. It was a really good effort. He’ll take a lot of improvement from that, he sprinted really well and probably came to the end of it in the last little bit.

“He’s a really nice horse going forward.”

To Bravery Born was a $200,000 K1 purchase.

To Bravery Born has joined Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) winner Too Sweet atop of the TAB Futures market for the Karaka Millions 2YO at $4, with fellow Te Akau runner La Dorada ($5) back in third-favouritism.

A $200,000 purchase by David Ellis at the 2024 Karaka Yearling Sales, To Bravery Born was bred by Nearco Stud and offered through Curraghmore’s Book 1 draft. He is the first winner from Milunka, a winning  half-sister to Group I winner Kahma Lass, and stakes-winners Distinctive Darci, Kuro and Southern Lad.– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Trackside.co.nz 2yo 1200m

Ellerslie Track: Good(4) Time: 1:12.20
1
To Bravery Born
- 2c Snitzel (AUS) x Milunka (AUS) (All Too Hard (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: C J Grylls 57
2
1.3
Daylight Robbery
- 2c Super Seth (AUS) x Villifye (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: G H Sharrock Rdr: K A Myers 57
3
1.4
Dare To Proisir
- 2g Proisir (AUS) x Hayle Bay (NZ) (Pentire (GB))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: V A Colgan 56
4
1.6
Tale Of The Gypsy
- 2f Written By (AUS) x Gypsy Snitz (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: G Rooke 55
5
1.8
Miss Ziggy
- 2f Brazen Beau (AUS) x Zigwig (NZ) (Zacinto (GB))
Tnr: Andrew Carston Rdr: Matthew Cartwright 54
6
6.8
Odds And Ends
- 2g Per Incanto (USA) x Bits And Pieces (NZ) (Snippetson (AUS))
Tnr: S D Cole Rdr: R T Elliot 56.5
7
7
Fat Cat
- 2c Written Tycoon (AUS) x Diamonds Galore (NZ) (Tavistock (NZ))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: N S Parmar 55
More Reading...
Newly Gelded To Bravery Born Returns a Winner
A visit to Wanganui last spring put To Bravery Born on a path towards elite age-group competition, and the son of Snitzel is set to follow a similar formula after another first-up success at Taupo on Sunday.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G2 Silver Shadow Stakes - Darley Princess Series
We've emerged from the worst of winter, but Sydney's wettest spring in a couple of decades is going to ensure a squelchy track for Saturday's Royal Randwick meeting if it even goes ahead.
2YO Snitzel Colt Wins for Te Akau
The familiar tangerine and blue colours of Te Akau Racing were back to doing what they do best when To Bravery Born took out the traditional opening two-year-old race of the season at Wanganui on Saturday.
Exclusive opportunity to purchase nomination in Too Darn Hot
Exciting racing and breeding prospects – plus a nomination in Champion First and Second Season Sire Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) – headline a diverse catalogue of 302 lots for the Inglis Digital August (Late) Online Sale.
Future Bright for Danica Guy
Group Three winner Lupo Solitario has returned to New Zealand, and the care of his former trainer Danica Guy, following a six-month racing stint in Hong Kong, while the stable are also excited about a first starter this weekend by Justify (USA).
Second Stakes-winner for Palace Pier
Kingman’s champion son Palace Pier (GB) only shuttled for one season to Darley Australia with his first 2YO’s to race here this season and in Europe he’s doing a pretty good job with his second stakes-winner emerging overnight at York.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 22
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Widden Parade Braves the Rain
Widden Stud’s annual series of stallion parades in the ‘Valley of Champions’ kicked off as scheduled on Thursday with the reigning Champion Australian Sire Zoustar the centre of attention, while the world’s fastest horse Cogburn (USA) also made his debut in Australia.
Promising Winner for Yes Yes Yes
Relocated to Gooree Stud this spring, Everest hero Yes Yes Yes has kept doing what he does best in racking up winners with the Ciaron Maher trained four year-old Flamboyant Lad opening his account at Geelong on Friday.
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 21
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.