Newgate Farm purchased an interest in Brutal after he won the Group 1 Doncaster Mile in April and the decision to keep the handsome son of O'Reilly in training as a 4-year-old looks set to pay off bigtime following an impressive return to racing in Saturday's $500,000 Group II Premiere Stakes (1200m).
Trained by John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes, Brutal may have earned himself a shot at the $14 million The Everest after denting a few reputations on Saturday.
Making a fast start under Tommy Berry, Brutal travelled on the outside of the veteran Starspangledbanner import Home Of The Brave (IRE) and the two fought out the race.
After being headed, Home Of The Brave (IRE) rallied to finish a long-neck behind Brutal with the favourite Classique Legend far from disgraced a half-length back in third ahead of Graf and Osborne Bulls. (images Steve Hart)
Brutal advances his record to 5 wins, 1 second and 1 third from 8 starts with earnings of $2,578,650.
Michael Hawkes was non-committal about the next start for Brutal and whether they would accept a slot in The Everest.
"We don't decide on raceday, never have and not about to start. Everyone will be talking about his next start," Wayne Hawkes said.
"He won the Doncaster at his seventh start, Newgate bought into half of him, not that worries us but what we have to do is get the
"The Sydney Stakes is there then obviously on to the Golden Eagle a $7.5 million race in his own backyard at Rosehill. These are the things we have to talk about.
"We will not rush but I have no doubt there will be plenty of people knocking on the door (for The Everest) that's something Dad, Wayne and I have to talk about, there's a lot of people in this horse.
"The Golden Eagle has been his main aim but we are open to change, I'm just excited the horse has come back. He wasn't 100
Consigned by Mapperley Stud top the 2017 NZB Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka, Brutal (pictured as a yearling ) was knocked down to Hawkes Racing for $220,000.
He is the fifth foal of the stakes-placed Golan mare Alberton Princess who is a three-quarter-sister to Group III ARC Eclipse Stakes winner Lady Alberton and a half-sister to Group II Matamata Breeders' Stakes winner Te Akau Rose (Thorn Park) and to the stakes-placed Dancing Bridges (Danske) (the dam of stakes-winner Testarhythm) and to Alberton Rose (the dam of Group III winner Cavalry Rose).
Alberton Princess was sold for $75,000 at the 2016 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale when carrying a Sacred Falls colt.
That colt was sold to David Ellis for $170,000 at this year's yearling sale at Karaka.
Alberton Princess has a weanling colt by Ocean Park and was served by the Cox Plate-winning son of Thorn Park again last season.
Brutal is one of 76 live foals from the 18th and final crop of the Waikato Stud stalwart O'Reilly who died on the final day of 2014.
That was Brutal! @HawkesRacing and @TommyBerry21 take out the Premiere Stakes @royalrandwick… @jmeharron has he won his way into #TheTABEverest? pic.twitter.com/i5Gxe8A6Jm
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2019
