Brave Smash (Jpn) gelding Brave Monarch is a rising star 3YO in Queensland and took another giant leap forward when handling a heavy track to win the $350,000 Group II BRC Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
A commanding last start winner of the Listed BRC Daybreak Lover (1400m) last month, the Chris and Corey Munce trained Brave Monarch was stepping up in class and distance as well as racing for the first time on a track rated other than good.
Ridden by Martin Harley, Brave Monarch was sent out favourite, but looked to be in trouble turning for home, when locked up back in the field and getting bounced around.
That all changed when he got clean air and warmed to the task, letting down with his customary turn of foot to surge away and win by more than a length over perennial Group race bridesmaid Tupakara.
"Everything looked really peaceful for the first furlong and then it looked pretty hard after that and coming to the turn it was pretty rough,” said Harley, who has ridden Brave Monarch in all five of his wins.
"I was very confident, but just wanted to be there when we straightened. We had to push hard for sure as it was on. Full credit to the team for the win."
Chris Munce was relieved after the win and the $3million Group I BRC Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 13 looms on the horizon for Brave Monarch.
"I tell you what at about the 1000m mark I was thinking this isn't looking real good. He got buffeted basically from the 1400m mark to the 400m, but he held his nerve and he held his ground. It’s a testament to both horse and rider,” Munce said.
"Martin (Harley) is always very confident and when he says something you back his judgment. He said he's going to be three pairs back and cut the corner and get out in the straight, but then he went about six or seven pairs back!
"He'll (Brave Monarch) have to go around in the Fred Best (G3) and run well to get in the Stradbroke, but that is a possibility."
A $20,000 Inglis Classic purchase for Hancox Bloodstock from the Yulong draft, Brave Monarch has proven a terrific investment for his big ownership group banking nearly $500,000 with five wins from seven starts!
Bred by Yulong, he is one the best of four winners from Puppet Queen (USA), an unraced half-sister by Kingmambo to Group I winners Vengeance of Rain and Dizelle from Group I winner Danelagh.
Puppet Queen had a filly by Yulong sire Diatonic (Jpn) last spring and is back in foal to him again.
Brave Monarch is the fifth stakes-winner for Brave Smash, whose current yearlings are the first crop of foals conceived at Yarraman Park.
Brave Smash will stand at Yarraman Park at a fee of $22,000 this spring.
