Out Of The Wilderness - Brown Ben Claims Balaklava Cup

Mark Smith - Wednesday September 11

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown (USA) proved a major disappointment in his four seasons at stud in Australia but he has an honest toiler in the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Brown Ben who earned a second stakes success in Wednesday's $100,000 Listed Heiniger Balaklava Cup (1600m).

Ridden by Corey Parish, the 7yo gelding finished resolutely to defeat Waging War (Rebel Raider) by a half length with the winner's stablemate Shrouded In Mist (Exceed And Excel) two and three-quarter lengths back in third. 

Advertisement


Winner of the Listed Tokyo City Cup at Morphettville back in September 2017 and winless in 18 starts since, Brown Ben advances his record to 7 wins, 4 seconds and 5 thirds from 61 starts with earnings of $324,835.

"It's a very special win for the whole team at Angaston. Brown Ben has been with us a long time and he's got some beautiful in Peter Robinson and Jack (Stott)," Calvin McEvoy said.

"He's a horse that won a Listed race over two years ago and he got badly weighted since then, handicapper got him because he is such a small horse.
"But he always tries and Corey Parish gets on with him well. I said to Corey come out neutral and do not move on him – he's back on the minimum today and he's being going well at home so it is just fantastic.

"This day last year was going to be his swansong but he was really stiff not to win the race so we kept going with him. He loves Balaklava, loves the mile. I don't know (where he will go from here) to be honest. We've got the Murray Bridge Cup, the Tokyo City Cup which he won two years ago so there are a few options."

A half-brother to the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate winner and Group II VRC Sires' Produce Stakes runner-up Aspect (Pluck), Brown Ben is out of the 5-time winning Lonhro mare Innishbeg a half-sister to Group III Belle of the Turf Stakes winner Sexy Eyes (Written Tycoon) and Listed winner Tina Melina (Jet Spur).

Innishbeg has a yearling colt by All Too Hard and was covered last year by Headwater.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Lisa Kennedy Recognized for Thoroughbred Welfare
Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
G1 Winning Champion 2YO Velocious to be Offered on Inglis Digital
The G1-winning Champion 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) will be offered for auction in the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 2
Here is the full list of 44 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Sword Poised to Strike
When the first crop yearlings by a young stallion are well received and go into the right stables that’s always a good sign and then a few months after that is when things start to get really interesting.
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Winning Hat Trick for So You Think Filly
So You Think has ticked over $12million in seasonal earnings with 150 plus winners including seven stakes-winners and while Covert Thinking is not among the luminaries by her sire, this tenacious 3YO has won three on the trot and landed her first metro victory on Wednesday.