| Outstanding colt Little Brose confirmed his status as one of the country’s best of his generation with a brilliant win in today’s $2 million Group One Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Sandown. |
| At just his fourth start and benefitting from a copybook ride from jockey Michael Dee, Little Brose led home quality Sydney colt Don Corleone in a Magic Millions sold 1-2. The win was a triumph for Lindsay Park’s training brothers Ben and JD Hayes who continued the Hayes family tradition to win the feature juvenile contest. “I’m shaking,” Ben Hayes exclaimed. “I thought he was good enough to win and I’ve felt like vomiting all day!” “To see a beautiful run and a beautiful ride by Michael and to win so impressively, is so exciting. He’s a really exciting horse.” “I’m thrilled for the whole team. It’s good to be winning the Blue Diamond and keeping that family tradition going.” “The winkers made him just travel better. He never looked like losing. So exciting. I’m thrilled. I’m thrilled for everyone and he’s so exciting going forward.” Ben said it was a great thrill to win Victoria’s feature juvenile race after he and JD tinkered with their system recently. “JD and I sat down at the end of the season last year and said ‘what can we improve on?’.” “We got our two-year-olds slightly wrong and we changed a couple of things and I think our results have spoken for themselves.” “That’s our seventh individual winner and most of them have been listed and group races so we improved on that. I think it is huge going forward. Very exciting and I’m thrilled for my whole family.” “We work so hard and to do it in our second year of training as a partnership,” Ben added. “It’s a big thrill.” Co-trainer JD Hayes paid tribute to his staff as well as renowned bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne who played a key role in his purchase for $200,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Sledmere Stud draft. “Also Dean Hawthorne, when I got caught doing my thing at the sales he picked him out. Terrific when it all comes together. So good.” “Everyone (the team) really works hard and they’ve got an important role to play as do Ben and I – know your role and play your role.” “I’d also like to thank Mr Young. He took the horse one out. He took me on a golfing day in Hong Kong and bought into this horse and we’ve been on a terrific run. Couldn’t be happier to get a good result for a good client.” Winning rider Michael Dee said the race worked out perfectly for Little Brose and he was confident throughout. “The way the race unfolded, that’s exactly how we planned. I wanted to be somewhat positive and be as close as I can without putting him out of our comfort zone.” “He traveled strong throughout. There was a bit of jostling there, going to that first corner, but to this horse’s credit and Ben and JD, they’ve done an amazing job.” “To have the horse peaking on the right day is a credit to them.” “He’s a horse that takes everything in his stride. He never turns a hair. He just canters around to the gates lovely and he’s just such a beautiful colt to ride,” Dee added. “I’m sure it is onwards and upwards from here.” Little Brose, who was bred by David Wallace, is by Roch ‘n’ Horse, Bonham and Santa Monica’s sire Per Incanto and is from an American stakes winning mare by Straight Man. As well as his dam (Mohegan Sky) being a stakes winner, Little Brose’s second and third dam were also black type performers and the family includes Group One winners in both hemispheres including Absolut Glam. Today’s Blue Diamond win by Little Brose provided a massive update for his half sister by Russian Revolution who is catalogued for the upcoming Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale in March. Rebecca Kelly, who will present the filly under her Kelly Thoroughbreds banner, was cheering today’s Blue Diamond result. “My husband purchased the dam and the filly heading to Adelaide was the result,” Kelly said. “She was a November foal and then sadly we lost her mum when the filly was four months old.” Kelly said she was looking forward to getting to the Morphettville based auction to show off the filly to prospective buyers. “She is really coming on all the time – she’s an attractive filly who has some good development still to come – she’s quite high behind.” The 2023 Adelaide Yearling Sale will be held on March 14 and 15. Winner: Little Brose Breeding: Per Incanto-Mohegan Sky (Straight Man) Breeder: Mr D Wallace Race: MRC Blue Diamond Stakes G1 (1200m) Sold for: $200,000 Sale: 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Vendor: Sledmere Stud Buyer: Lindsay Park Racing Earnings: $1,410,750 Owner(s): WPP Young Trainers: Ben & JD Hayes (Flemington) |
