To Bravery Born (NZ)
To Bravery Born (NZ)
2 c Snitzel – Milunka by All Too Hard
O: Te Akau Secret Identity Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM)
B: Nearco Stud Limited
T: Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson
S: 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale V: Curraghmore P: David Ellis, $200,000
W: Dave Hoskin Carriers Maiden, 800m, August 31, Wanganui
The familiar tangerine and blue colours of Te Akau Racing were back to doing what they do best when To Bravery Born (Snitzel) took out the traditional opening two-year-old race of the New Zealand season at Wanganui on Saturday.
Despite there being only four runners in the 800-metre contest on a Heavy 10 surface, the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) showed he has what it takes to feature later in the season with a professional performance in downing favourite Toretto (Ardrossan), a $165,000 purchase, by a comfortable two-length margin. Ensign Aria (U S Navy Flag) finished a further 1.3 lengths away in third.
“I remember when Dave [Ellis] bought him as a yearling, we looked at each other and couldn’t believe that he only made $200,000, and were quite perplexed at the time as to why, but it was late in the day and there was torrential rain,” Walker said.
“For a Snitzel colt he was great value, and it was exciting to see him win the way he did on his debut outing.
“He broke in well, has always been a very forward type, and the way he relaxed and went to the line today, really uncontested, suggests he has a nice future.”
Ellis secured To Bravery Born for $200,000 from the Curraghmore draft at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
The son of Snitzel is out of the All Too Hard (Casino Prince) mare Milunka, who herself is a half-sister to New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) victress Kahma Lass (Darci Brahma), also purchased by Ellis from the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud.
Looking ahead, Ellis confirmed To Bravery Born would now be aimed at the Karaka 2YO Million (RL, 1200m) at Ellerslie on January 25 next year.