A drop back in grade following three starts in stakes races looks the right formula for $1million Snitzel colt Brosnan to break his maiden in the Donate @ NJT.ORG.AU Handicap (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.
To be ridden by Jye McNeil, the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained colt has been far from disgraced in his three starts.
After making his career debut with a sixth in the Group II Skyline Stakes at Randwick, Brosnan had little luck when a strong finishing fourth in the Group II VRC Sires' Produce Stakes behind the promising Let'srollthedice.
It was back to Sydney to take on the silk department in the ATC Sires' Produce Stakes.
Widest of all rounding the home turn, Brosnan's run flattened out on the heavy track as Fireburn defeated She's Extreme and Let'srollthedice.
Of the 135 foals left by Snitzel in 2019, Brosnan was the lone grey.
Bred by Newhaven Park Stud, the strapping son of Snitzel, was purchased by Kitchwin Hills for $1,050,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
That was the second most expensive lot by the champion stallion, beaten only by the $1.9 million Tom Magnier purchase Basquiat (ex Bonny O'Reilly), who has finished runner-up in his first two starts.
Raced by many that campaigned Black Caviar, Brosnan is the second foal of the accomplished Domesday mare Supara. Her first foal, Love, a sister to Brosnan, never made it to the track after two barrier trials. Last spring, Love was covered by Newhaven Park's Group 1 winning Savabeel stallion Cool Aza Beel.
Though she won just one of her 14 starts, Supara finished second to First Seal in the Group II ATC Surround Stakes and was third behind Winx and Hauraki in the Group II Peter Pan Stakes.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse, Supara lost all form at four before running Zambagh to a half-length when second in the Group II Emancipation Stakes at her career finale.
Supara followed a family tradition with black-type placings while failing to crack it for a stake win.
It afflicted her half-sisters Zac Kasa (Reset) and Win for Layla (Flying Spur) and her dam Unabated.
A daughter of Encosta De Lago, Unabated won at Flemington, Sandown, and Moonee Valley. In the Listed Kevin Heffernan Stakes, she was runner-up to Bomber Bill and was third behind Crimson Reign and Aqua D'amore Listed Northwood Plume Stakes.
Unabated's dam Queen Saga (Marooned) is a half-sister to the flying Permai (Rory's Jester). A Listed winner of 10 of her 33 starts, Permai is the dam of Group III Carbine Club Stakes winner Permaiscuous (Danzero), who was edged out by champion Miss Finland in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas.
The Thousand Guineas also escaped Queen Saga's granddam Tynia (Hotfoot), who was unplaced behind Biscadale in 1980, having defeated that filly at her previous start in the Group II Edward Manifold Stakes.
Tynia was imported in utero with her dam Royal Flare (Welsh Pageant), a daughter of the top-class roan Rocket filly Catherine Wheel whose five wins in 12 starts included the Nassau Stakes and Mussidora Stakes.
New Zealander David Ellis bought a Written Tycoon filly out of Supara for $800,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The daughter of Domesday has a weanling Capitalist filly and visited Ole Kirk last spring.
