It's All in the Family for Brandenburg

Mark Smith - Sunday Feb 23

This is what dreams are made of for breeders, purchasing an unraced daughter of the great Galileo (IRE) for a paltry $500, then watching her daughter claim a Group II Wakeful Stakes and a son tan the hides of five Group 1 winners in the Group II Hobartville Stakes just a few months before a half-sister by Fastnet Rock makes her first public appearance at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

The Galileo mare Wansesingyee was purchased at a NZ Bloodstock mixed sale in 2009 for just $500.  Brandenburg finishes best in Hobertville Stakes - images Steve Hart

To be fair, her present owners, Seymour Bloodstock, would have shelled out plenty more than that to secure Wansesingyee but what a success story she has been.

After hitting the heights with $55,000 2016 NZB Ready to Run graduate Luvaluva, trainer John Sargent will be looking to great things from her 3yo half-brother Brandenburg (Burgundy) who placed in the Group II ATC Stan Fox Stakes and Group III VRC Carbine Club Stakes last spring before emerging from his summer hibernation with a stunning performance in Saturday’s Group II Arrowfield Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill.

With Rachel King in the saddle, Brandenburg was the outsider of the field and despite covering a deal of extra ground defeated the Snitzel colt Reloaded by half a length with last seasons champion 2yo Microphone (Exceed And Excel) a half-head back in third.

"When he actually learns how to really put them away he's going to be even better," King told AAP.

"John made sure I knew the horse really well. I rode him a few times in trackwork and left no stone unturned and it paid off."

Sargent said he was expecting a forward showing.Brandenburg Rachel King

I have always rated him a very good colt," Sargent said.

"We looked after him in the spring and just took him down for the Carbine Club (Stakes).

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"He had to front up today against these serious horses and he did. It was very impressive.

"He's got a very good attitude and that's what makes the horse. He just eats and sleeps."

The son of the royally-bred Redoute’s Choice stallion Burgundy is the second stakes-winner from four to race out of Wansesingyee who was bred by Luskin Park Stud and was sold as a weanling for $50,000 before making $86,000 as a yearling at Karaka and $500 just a year later.

Wansesingyee is a three-quarter sister to the Listed STC WJ McKell Cup winner Luvuleo (Galileo) from the family of stakes-winners Secret Flyer, Almazyoon, El Maze and Little Current.

The daughter of Galileo has a Fastnet Rock filly (lot 280) in the Newhaven Park Stud draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She missed to the same stallion in 2018 and was covered by the Coolmore champion again last spring.

Brandenburg becomes the fourth stakes-winner for the Redoute’s Choice stallion Burgundy who was put down at Cambridge Stud in November at the age of 11 due to laminitis.  

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Race Result - Arrowfield Hobartville Stakes Gr2 1400m

Rosehill Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:25.30
1
Brandenburg
- 3c Burgundy (NZ) x Wansesingyee (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: Rachel King 56.5
2
0.5
Reloaded
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x Hollow Bullet (AUS) (Tayasu Tsuyoshi (JPN))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56.5
3
0.6
Microphone
- 3c Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Sung (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J Bowman 56.5
4
1.9
Pancho
- 3g Dissident (AUS) x Novel Dancer (AUS) (Written Tycoon (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: R Dolan 56.5
5
3.1
Shadow Hero
- 3g Pierro (AUS) x Sookie (AUS) (Casino Prince (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: J Parr 56.5
6
3.2
Castelvecchio
- 3c Dundeel (NZ) x St. Therese (AUS) (Dehere (USA))
Tnr: Richard Litt Rdr: K Mc Evoy 56.5
7
4.5
Warning
- 3g Declaration Of War (USA) x Livia (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Anthony Freedman Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
8
5.5
Kubrick
- 3c Shooting To Win (AUS) x Alcatraz (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Avdulla 56.5
9
5.6
Fortress Command
- 3c Sebring (AUS) x Prairie Star (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: G A Ryan Rdr: J R Collett 56.5
10
6.4
The Holy One
- 3c Tavistock (NZ) x Entirely Saintly (NZ) (Pentire (GB))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: J Ford 56.5
11
6.6
Prince Fawaz
- 3c Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Lady Paget (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: A J Cummings Rdr: Jean Van Overmeire 56.5
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