The exciting Briasa led home a Smart Missile quinella in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Group II The Newcastle Herald Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle.
The 4-year-old gelding took a record of five wins from six starts into the feature and, with any luck, would be undefeated.
Ridden by Tyler Schiller for Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes, Briasa had to overcome a torrid run to gradually wear down the leader Felix Majestic, who was not about to give in without a fight.
The 4-year-old son of Smart Missile was a long-head too good for the 5-year-old son of Smart Missile, with the defending champion Coal Crusher (Turffontein) back in third.
With his sixth win in seven starts, Briasa has banked $803,475.
“He’s a real competitor and just wants to win,” stable representative Steve Thompson said.
“There is still upside to this horse. He is still raw, and in twelve months, you will probably see him in an Everest.
“The only time he was beaten he was five wide with no cover and was beaten a half length. Everyone could see he should have won that day.”
The Johnson family homebred is one of four winners for the hard-knocking Twining (USA) mare Mary’s Grace, whose seven wins from 27 starts included the Listed WyongRC Mona Lisa Stakes and was placed in the Triscay Stakes and Wiggle Stakes.
From the prolific family of Sovereign Edition’s half-sister Royal News, Mary’s Grace died in September.
Her final foal is a 2-year-old colt by Sensei.
Briasa is the 26th stakes-winner for Twin Hills Stud’s Smart Missile.
