Described by his trainer as a horse who just “eats and sleeps”, Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy) has also shown he is pretty good at galloping with a boilover win in the Gr.2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Up against a field boasting five Group One winners and some of the best three-year-olds in the Australia, Brandenburg defied a wide run on speed to triumph in Saturday’s Group Two feature.
There were several good performances behind him with both Castelvecchio (Dundeel) and Shadow Hero (Pierro) strong late.
But the race belonged to Brandenburg ($41) who held off Reloaded (Snitzel) by a half-length with leader and $2.25 favourite Microphone (Exceed and Excel) holding third in an on-pace dominated race.
While the winner snuck under the guard of punters, trainer John Sargent was anything but shocked.
“I have always rated him a very good colt,” Sargent said.
“We looked after him in the spring and just took him down for the Carbine Club (Stakes).
“He had to front up today against these serious horses and he did. It was very impressive.
“He’s got a very good attitude and that’s what makes the horse. He just eats and sleeps.”
Jockey Rachel King kept Brandenburg in a rhythm despite racing wide and she believes the colt is a long way from the finished product.
“When he actually learns how to really put them away he’s going to be even better,” King said.
“John made sure I knew the horse really well. I rode him a few times in trackwork and left no stone unturned and it paid off.”
Brandenburg was bred by Christopher and Susanna Grace and is a half to multiple Group winner and stablemate Luvaluva (NZ) (Mastercraftsman). He races for a similar ownership group sporting the silks of Darren Thomas’ Seymour Bloodstock.
