The Helen Page-trained Brinkmanship was the second most expensive yearling by Spirit Of Boom sold in 2017 so he had something to prove when he lined up in the Easter Bonnett Maiden Plate (1100m) at Beaudesert on Easter Monday.
The top-weight duly got the job done but not before being given a scare by the determined odds-on favourite Top Luck (Top Echelon) who fell a short-head short with another Spirit Of Boom, the filly Spirit's First one and a quarter length back in third.
Raced by a lady's syndicate headed by Christine Cook, Brinkmanship was making his fourth start.
He was second at the Gold Coast when on debut last October then finished fourth on the same track a fortnight later.
Sent for a spell after finishing midfield at Doomben on December 11, Brinkmanship was expected to start favourite in this but Top Luck was hammered into favouritism at her career debut and just failed.
Consigned by Eureka Stud to the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Brinkmanship (pictured as a yearling ) was purchased by Randwick Bloodstock/Mystery Downs for $150,000.
Of the 62 yearlings by Spirit Of Boom sold in 2017, only the Listed BRC Calaway Gal Stakes heroine Outback Barbie made more (210,000).
A half-brother to 4-time winner Tiyatrolani (Captain Sonador), Brinkmanship is out of the Brisbane winning Encosta De Lago mare Tiyatro who comes from the family of Staging, Duporth, Excites, Tickets and Delago Deluxe.
Tiyatro had another Spirit Of Boom colt in the Eureka Stud draft at this year's Magic Millions but this time James Harron Bloodstock needed to shell out $500,000.
What a difference a year makes.
Brinkmanship becomes the 11th individual winner for Spirit Of Boom whose service fee in 2018 will be of great interest.
