It’s been a few days of ups and downs for Yarraman Park’s young stallion Brave Smash (Jpn), whose glamour G1 mare Kimochi was ruled out of the Group I BRC Stradbroke due to a tendon injury, but on the flip side he produced an exciting new stakes-winner at Eagle Farm on Saturday in Brave Design.
A talented two year-old colt in the Danny O’Brien stable, Brave Design was a maiden going into the $160,000 Listed BRC Oxlade Stakes (1200m), but with three placings and a fourth from his previous four starts all in Group and Listed class, the dashing bay always looked a likely contender.
Given a good ride by Jordan Childs, he appreciated getting back on a good surface and hit the line hard to reel in speedy filly Isti Star, a last start winner of the $1million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic.
Brave Design drew clear to win by a length and a half and has now banked over $232,000 in prizemoney.
Brave Design bounced back from his last start fourth in the bottomless heavy ground of the Group II BRC Sires Produce Stakes won by Cool Archie, but O’Brien had no regrets about taking the softer option of the Oxlade Stakes in preference to the G1 JJ Atkins.
"He's been a colt that has been super every time he has gone to the races. We were very keen to get a win on the board with him,” said Danny O’Brien.
"We had the option to go to the Atkins but we thought two things - the 1200 today and a weaker grade was an opportunity for him to get on the board and win one.
"The Sires' (won by Cool Archie) was run in testing conditions that day and he came through it very, very well. He's loved it up here in Queensland as a lot of our Victorian horses do.
"We may run him again. There is a 1400-metre race here on Tiara Day. Then a little freshen up before he goes to Melbourne."
Brave Design was a $150,000 Magic Millions purchase for his trainer from the Yarraman Park draft at Magic Millions and was a successful pinhook having been sourced by Mitchell Bloodstock for $120,000 from the Milburn Creek draft at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Brave Design is the second winner from five foals to race from metro winning Stratum mare Our Design, a half-sister to stakes-winner Tales of Fashion from a European female family that has produced Group winners Willie Cazals and Tawkeel.
Our Design has not had a foal since Brave Design.
Brave Design is the fourth stakes-winner for Brave Smash, who stands this spring at a fee of $27,500.
