A visit to Wanganui last spring put To Bravery Born (NZ) (Snitzel) on a path towards elite age-group competition, and the son of Snitzel is set to follow a similar formula after another first-up success at Taupo on Sunday.
To Bravery Born took out the first two-year-old race of the New Zealand season at Wanganui last year, beating Toretto and Ensign Aria by two lengths over 800m on August 31.
The Te Akau Racing runner won again in a fresh state in his second start at Ellerslie in January, sealing a shot at the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in which he finished a close fourth behind stablemate La Dorada. In his other two starts as a juvenile, To Bravery Born ran third in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) and 10th in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
To Bravery Born was gelded during the off-season and returned to competition with a promising second in a 900m trial at Taupo on August 4.
He was set out as a $1.40 favourite for Sunday’s $40,000 Poverty Bay Turf Club 3YO (1100m) at Taupo, in which he was ridden by star comeback jockey Opie Bosson.
To Bravery Born initially settled at the tail of the five-horse field as Faultless enjoyed an uncontested lead. But Bosson made his move a long way from home, sliding forward out wide to be third and well within striking distance coming up to the turn.
Faultless had another kick in the straight and was hard to get past, but Bosson got the very best out of To Bravery Born and secured a tight victory by a nose. Faultless finished three and a quarter lengths in front of the third-placed Affirmative Action.
It was one of four wins on the eight-race Taupo card for Bosson, who was also successful aboard Te Atatu Dream (NZ) (Complacent), Carsolio (Bivouac) and In Haste (Snitzel). His ride on To Bravery Born earned particular praise.
“The winning of the race was when Opie (Bosson) made his move going up the rise nearing the home turn and got him out into the slightly better ground,” said Mark Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson.
“Opie is always hard to beat in a tight finish, and once again he was able to get the nose in front where it mattered.
“It was great to see the horse extend his unbeaten fresh-up record to three. Safely through the race he’ll head to the Wanganui Guineas (Listed, 1200m), on the same course where he won on debut.”
The Wanganui Guineas will be run on August 30.
The TAB responded to Sunday’s win by moving To Bravery Born into $10 for the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 15. He is the fourth favourite behind Hostility ($4), He Who Dares ($8) and Landlock ($8).
To Bravery Born was bred by Nearco Stud and was offered by Curraghmore in Book 1 of Karaka 2024, where David Ellis bought him for $200,000.
His six-race career has produced three wins and $125,000 in stakes for the Te Akau Secret Identity Racing Partnership.
