Russian Revolution gelding Brudenell was sent out favourite for the Listed MVRC Abell Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night and was rewarded for consistency with a three-quarter length win.
Trained by Kris Lees and ridden by Mark Zahra, Brudenell was placed in Listed and Group company at his past two starts in Sydney and took that good form to Melbourne.
He finished with a well timed run and was strong to the line, despite carrying 59kg, to claim the second Black Type win of his career, taking his overall record to 10 wins and four placings from 25 starts with earnings of $856,600.
“He had a nice gate, lobbed in a beautiful spot, and he’s got a short, sharp sprint. I just sort of waited to press the go button, and when I did, it was pretty much all over,” Zahra said.
“He had to carry the weight, but with the run he had and his good turn of foot, he was always going to be hard to beat.”
An $80,000 Inglis Classic purchase for Lees Racing / Tasman Bloodstock from the Glastonbury Farm draft, Brudenell runs for a big syndicate of stable clients.
Bred by Macquarie Stud, he is the best of two winners winner for Knit ’n’ Purl, a winning More Than Ready (USA) half-sister to stakes-winner Ka Bling and daughter of Group III winner Zingalong from the family of Group I winner Inspirational Girl.
Knit ‘n’ Purl has been a regular visitor to Newgate sires and has a yearling colt by Capitalist that was sold as a weanling by Macquarie Stud for $370,000 to Kiwi pinhookers Kaha Nui Farm, who then sold him for $425,000 at Magic Millions this year to Matthew Smith Racing.
Knit ‘n’ Purl had a filly last year by Anamoe and then went back to him again.
Russian Revolution has 14 entries for Inglis Premier and two for Inglis Easter.
