Al Akbar (AUS)

The sudden passing in 2022 of Darling View stallion I'm All The Talk shocked the WA breeding industry, and his absence was highlighted once again yesterday at Ascot, when his two year old daughter Talkanco piloted by Brad Parnham won the G3 Gimcrack Stakes in an exciting finish to announce herself as a serious Karrakatta Plate contender and become the third stakes winner for her sire.

With his oldest progeny just three year-olds, Newgate Farm’s Doncaster Mile winning sire Brutal has been ticking along nicely, but it’s a couple of two year-olds from his second crop that have him in the news on Sunday with a debut winner at Sha Tin and a super talented colt that is now a clear favourite for next week’s $1million Group I ATC Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.