Unbeaten colt To Bravery Born powered into TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) contention with his comeback victory at Ellerslie on Sunday.
The gifted son of Snitzel showed his precocity when successful on debut in the opening race of the two-year-old season at Wanganui back in August and was subsequently laid low by injury.
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson had doubts he would be back in Karaka Millions contention but quickly bounced back and Sunday’s victory now has him equal $4 second favourite for the January 25 feature.
To Bravery Born’s rapid progress has been welcomed by breeder Greg Tomlinson, whose Nearco Stud offered the youngster at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.
He was purchased for $200,000 by David Ellis and is raced by the Te Akau Secret Identity Racing Partnership.
“Greg has 30-odd mares on his books, he’s still a big player in the game and we’re all grateful for his ongoing investment in the industry and it’s great to see him being rewarded,” Patrick Cunningham said.
“Nearco Stud has a stake in To Bravery Born with the syndicate, so it’s pretty exciting to still be part of him and see him living up to expectations.
“It looks like he’ll come on with that run as well and spur him on to be competitive in the Millions.”
A New Zealand Bloodstock Sales Representative, Cunningham also has an advisory and portfolio management role with Nearco Stud, who have a number of broodmares and young stock at his father Gordon’s Curraghmore operation.
To Bravery Born is a son of the All Too Hard mare Milunka, who was successful on two occasions in Australia.
“Milunka is a daughter of Distinctive Lass who’s also the mother of Kahma Lass and a number of other stakes winners,” Patrick Cunningham said.
Kahma Lass won the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in Cambridge Stud’s colours and brother Distinctive Darci, and half-brothers Kuro and Southern Lad also won at Listed level.
“Milunka is a young mare and it’s a really promising family that continues to produce very good horses,” Cunningham said.
By All Too Hard, she also has a daughter of Tarzino and foaled a filly by Satono Aladdin last October before she was covered by Chaldean.
“The Tarzino yearling filly will probably be directed toward the Ready to Run Sale,” Cunningham said.
“She’s a nice type and we thought timing wise she would be better off being presented as a two-year-old.”
Nearco will offer nine youngsters under Curraghmore’s banner, along with another four in partnership with Rich Hill Stud, at the upcoming National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
Included in the Curraghmore draft is a particular favourite to be sold as Lot 335.
“The Proisir filly is a half-sister to Powers Of Opal, who ran second in the VRC Oaks (Gr.1, 2500m), she’d be my pick but there’s a lot of other good bloodlines for buyers to pick and choose from,” Cunningham said.
They are out of the stakes winning Alamosa mare Strada Cavallo, who placed at Group One level in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
