The last four winners of the Karaka Million have gone on to be Group I winners and a Victorian bred youngster by Brazen Beau may well keep up the trend if he comes out of this Saturday’s big race at Ellerslie with his undefeated record intact.
Team Te Akau have won the past four runnings of this race with Melody Belle, Avantage, Probabeel and Cool Aza Beel with Brazen Beau gelding On The Bubbles seen as their leading chance for success this year despite his drawing a wide barrier.
“We have won it from out there before, so why can’t we do it again?” trainer Jamie Richards said after the barrier draw.
“He is going to need a bit of luck, that is all.”
On The Bubbles is undefeated in his two starts to date, including a three length victory at Ellerslie earlier this month.
“I like the fact that he is a winner and he has come through the right race, and he couldn’t have been more impressive last start. He is going the right way,” Richards said.
On The Bubbles was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis out of Lenach Lodge’s New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $90,000 after being sourced initially from the Inglis Great Southern Sale for $60,000 from the Burnewang North draft by Ben Kwok and Bevan Smith Bloodstock.
He is the first foal of More Bubbles, a placed half-sister by Sebring to Group I winner Politeness from the family of Group II winners Thackeray and Parables.
A champion sprinter by I Am Invincible, Darley's Brazen Beau has already left nine stakes-winners and On the Bubbles could easily make it ten!
Brazen Beau actually has two runners in the Karaka Million with his filly Brazen Blue also a hope having finished second to On the Bubbles in her final lead up run last month.
There is just one Brazen Beau yearling in Karaka Book 1 this year and it’s Lot 110, a colt from Group II placed Shenandoah offered by Wentwood Grange.
