Fresh off an ordinary effort in the Vodacom Durban July, the Australian-bred entire Brazuca sailed in under the radar and wrong-footed punters with an impressive end-to-end win in the Turffontein Saturday topliner.
Donavan Mansour keeps Brazuca galloping – Anthony Delpech and the fancied Shukamisa are well beaten in fourth (Pic – JC Photos)
The 2017 Gr2 Colorado King Stakes winner showed scant regard for fitness concerns when Donavan Mansour rode him to a finely judged victory in a quality R130 000 Pinnacle Stakes on the inside track mile.
We probably all paid the penalty for overlooking the fact that the Johan Janse Van Vuuren-trained son of Teofilo is a four-time Gr1 runner-up and a chestnut loaded with ability.
Mansour, who has had a frustrating start to the season, allowed him to stride and he kept on strongly to win by 1,70 lengths in a time of 97.86 secs.
Donavan Mansour – welcome win
Karl Zechner produced SA Triple Crown star Abashiri out of the pack for a meritorious second – his first start under new ownership and since he had run stone last in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate ten months ago. Mike and Adam Azzie will be particularly pleased with the run of the Go Deputy gelding, who along with the winner, should be competitive in the feature races that lie ahead.
The former Glen Kotzen-trained stayer Banner Hill ran a cracker a further head back in third, ahead of the favourite Shukamisa who had every chance but was not good enough on the day.
A winner of 6 races with 7 places from 18 starts, Brazuca took his career earnings to R2 006 525.
Brazuca was purchased for A$ 80 000 off the Kia-Ora Stud draft at the 2014 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale by Paul Guy’s Heritage Bloodstock.
He is by Teofilo (Galileo) out of the unraced Base Paradise (Choisir), an unraced daughter of Gr2 sprinter, Catnipped (Rory’s Jester).
