Brave Smash Sha Tin Winner on International Day

Media Release - Monday Dec 9

Champion jockey James McDonald had a massive day at Sha Tin on Sunday riding Romantic Warrior (IRE) and Voyage Bubble to victory in Group I races, but he started the day with an earlier success aboard talented Brave Smash (Jpn) gelding Divano.

Trained by Francis Lui, Divano continued his rise through the grades to win the Class 3 sprint over 1200m by nearly two lengths and has now won three of eight starts with four placings.

Advertisement

Divano was a successful pinhook, bought by Jim Carey for $57,500 from the Erinvale Thoroughbreds draft at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale and then re-offered at Inglis Classic where he made $90,000 to the bid of Ryan & Alexiou Racing / D Raphael.

Bred by Aquis in partnership, Divano is the first winner for Been Scene, a three time winning Bianconi (USA) mare, whose grand-dam is Group III winner Princess Plume.

Divano is the second winner in Hong Kong from just three starters for Brave Smash, whose third crop of foals are two year-olds and already include the Brisbane metro winner Strawberry Smash.

The first crop of Yarraman Park bred foals for Brave Smash are on the ground this spring and promise deliver a bright future for the young stallion, who got his first Group I winner this season in Kimochi.

Brave Smash (Jpn)

Brave Smash has five entries for Magic Millions and four for Inglis Classic.

Advertisment

Race Result - Lord Kanaloa Hcp (C3) 1200m

Sha Tin Track: Good Time: 1:08.78
1
Divano
- 4g Brave Smash (JPN) x Been Scene (AUS) (Bianconi (USA))
Tnr: K W Lui Rdr: J B Mc Donald 58
2
1.8
King Profit
- 4g Stratosphere (AUS) x Digger's Girl (AUS) (Needs Further (AUS))
Tnr: C S Shum Rdr: A Pouchin 53
3
2
Young Superstar
- 4g Press Statement (AUS) x Rich Pickings (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: A S Cruz Rdr: Y L Chung 59
4
3.5
Champion Instinct
- 5g Holler (AUS) x Acantha (NZ) (Iffraaj (GB))
Tnr: D J Hall Rdr: M F Poon 53
5
4
Patch Of Cosmo
- 3g Super Seth (AUS) x Thee (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: K L Man Rdr: Luke Ferraris 55
6
4
Swagger Bro
- 4g Capitalist (AUS) x Janast (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: D A Hayes Rdr: M L Yeung 55
7
4.3
Lifeline Express
- 4g Shooting To Win (AUS) x La Comedienne (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: J J Size Rdr: A Badel 54
8
4.5
Victory Sky
- 4g U S Navy Flag (USA) x No Tricks (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: P F Yiu Rdr: K C Leung 55
9
6
Not Usual Star
- 7g Zoustar (AUS) x Acouplamas (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: W Y So Rdr: Keagan De Melo 55
10
6
Eighty Light Years
- 6g Dream Ahead (USA) x Blue Ocean (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: T P Yung Rdr: P N Wong 53.5
11
6
Savvy Brilliant
- 4g Toronado (IRE) x Liberty Made (AUS) (Statue Of Liberty (USA))
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: Z Purton 61
12
7
Halo Of Success
- 4g Zoustar (AUS) x Written Era (AUS) (Written Tycoon (AUS))
Tnr: D Eustace Rdr: A Atzeni 55.5
13
7.3
C Yeah
- 4g Swiss Ace (AUS) x Remedy (NZ) (Jimmy Choux (NZ))
Tnr: K H Ting Rdr: H Bentley 54.5
14
11
Wonderstar
- 5g Starspangledbanner (AUS) x Wangaala (AUS) (Toorak Toff (AUS))
Tnr: P C Ng Rdr: K Teetan 61
More Reading...
Unraced First Season Sires Trial Report
It’s been a pretty steady start to spring in terms of 2YO races and we are still waiting to see a first season sire post a winner, but there has been action aplenty at the trials which would indicate the pre-Christmas period is set to ignite.
Darley Announce 2027 European Fees -Night of Thunder Soars to €450,000
It will be Dubawi central at Darley in 2027 with the legendary 24YO sire priced at £350,000, but the roster is topped by his champion son Night of Thunder at €450,000 and there are three more G1 winning sons or grand-sons of Dubawi also added to a power packed roster.
Frankel Heads Juddmonte Euro Roster at £350,000
Fresh from siring outstanding young stayer Point of Law (GB) to win the $10m Group I VRC Melbourne Cup, champion sire Frankel will again top the roster at Banstead Manor Stud for Juddmonte.
Southern Highlands Thoroughbred Week is Out of the Gate!
Celebrating 140 years of racing and thoroughbred culture, Southern Highlands Thoroughbred Week presented by GROW Southern Highlands will span three weekends, from 19th November to 6th December.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 10
Here is the full list of 16 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Digital Purchase Iron Hawk to Tackle G3 TAB Mile
Harness racing trainer Barry Purdon bought Iron Hawk last year with New Zealand Cup Week in mind, and now the moment has arrived, with the stakes performer set to tackle the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) at Riccarton on Wednesday.
Remembering Northerly – The Greatest Caulfield Cup Winner This Century
It's Caulfield Cup week, and what better moment to revisit the life and times of one of the greatest - if not the greatest - Caulfield Cup winner of the modern era.
Haras d'Etreham Set Fee for Hotazhell
Triple Group I winner Hotazhell will begin his stallion career at Haras d'Etreham in France at a fee of €15,000 next year before then shuttling to Widden Stud in Australia.
Racing Industry Mourns Much Loved Izzy Neale
The thoroughbred racing industry is devastated tonight following news that apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, aged 22, has tragically died as the result of a race fall at Warren on Sunday.
2027 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1881 entries for the 2027 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?