News

Brazen Beau Crowned Champion Three-Year-Old

8th Oct 2015

Outstanding sprinter Brazen Beau was declared Champion Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding at the Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards overnight, putting the icing on the cake of a stellar career for his racing connections including his large syndicate of owners, 36 of whom were in attendance at the event, trainer Chris Waller, and Ontrack Thoroughbreds’ Grant Morgan.

Morgan was on hand to accept the accolade, which was awarded ahead of Wandjina, Hallowed Crown, Mongolian Khan and Kermadec.

“Brazen Beau has been a life-changer. He’s taken us to places that no one expected to go in such a short space of time,” said Morgan.

“I think the exciting thing is the journey isn’t over. He has a wonderful opportunity at stud with Darley now, and I know many of his original owners are enthusiastic about being involved with his sons and daughters on the racetrack,” Morgan said.

Chris Waller guided his charge through an incredible whirlwind career on the track which saw the son of I Am Invincible win at Canterbury on debut, and victorious in the Group 2 Champagne Classic during Brisbane’s Winter Carnival as a two-year-old. As a three-year-old, the dark brown colt truly excelled.

Following a warm-up run in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington where he placed a gallant fifth, Brazen Beau won the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes at Randwick – joining the ilk of fellow Inglis graduates Exceed And Excel, Fastnet Rock and Foxwedge.

This was backed up by a fruitful trip back down south where he was victorious in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight. In early 2015 Brazen Beau ran second to Lanakan Rupee in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes before rounding off his domestic career with a formidable victory in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap. The win put Brazen Beau in elite company as a three-year-old to win the Newmarket alongside Weekend Hussler, Alinghi, Exceed And Excel, Schillaci and other greats of the turf.

After proving himself one of Australia’s best sprinters, the decision was made to make the trip to England’s famed Royal Ascot meeting in June. Here Brazen Beau and his owners were truly on the world stage, and the colt was beaten just half a length before the world’s elite thoroughbred owners including Queen Elizabeth II and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

This scene was a far cry from his less extravagant beginnings at Berant Park on the outskirts of Canberra. Bernie Howlett, a Group 1 winning jockey and trainer, had a handful of broodmares at his Berant Park property between Hall and Murrumbateman, and in 2010 decided to support Yarraman Park’s Group 3 winning first season sire I Am Invincible with his Snaadee mare Sansadee. The resulting progeny was a strong black colt born on 24 September 2011. The colt grew into an impressive young horse which Howlett decided to consign through Murulla Stud at the 2013 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in Sydney.

The colt came up for sale early on the opening day of the Inglis Classic Sale, selling as Lot 3 for $70,000 to the bid of Grant Morgan of Ontrack Thoroughbreds, Queensland. The colt was syndicated to a group of 38 owners from across Australia, many of whom were at the Royal Ascot meeting two years later.

The benefits of owning a champion racehorse have extended far beyond international travel, with mortgages and weddings being paid off, and even life-changing medical bills becoming affordable for Brazen Beau’s owners.

After Royal Ascot the now four-year-old was retired from racing with five wins and runner-up four times in 12 starts, 11 of which were at stakes level. Brazen Beau’s $1.6 million in prizemoney earnings were the tip of the iceberg for his owners who struck a multi-million dollar deal with global breeding operation Darley, where the newly crowned Champion is currently standing his first season at stud and is set to cover a full book of 150 mares including 40 stakeswinners.

(Photo: Ontrack Thoroughbreds)