Black-Type Results

Group 1 Manikato S., Moonee Valley

Race Summary:

Brave Smash (Jpn) (Tosen Phantom {Jpn}) collected his second career Group 1 win, with a fighting victory in the Ladbrokes Manikato S. at Moonee Valley.

In a truly international finish, the Japanese-bred and Australia trained 6-year-old overcame the American-bred, Irish-trained Spirit of Valor (USA) (War Front {USA}) in a torrid tussle down the straight, with the locally-bred Kementari (Lonhro), representing Godolphin, finishing third.

The race was a strongly-run affair, with the pace set by Invincible Star (I Am Invincible), with Jungle Edge (Dubawi {Ire}) on his outside and Oisin Murphy trapped three-deep on the pace with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Spirit of Valor.

When the inside two horses dropped off, Spirit of Valor hit the lead, but Hugh Bowman had tracked him with cover throughout and peeled off his back. Those horses back near the inside, including Sunlight (Zoustar) and Houtzen (I Am Invincible) were left with no runs at the crucial stage, leaving those who had travelled wide to fight it out.

Spirit of Valor dug in for the fight, but Brave Smash, with the easier run, proved too strong late, winning by 0.2l.

Kementari would have beaten them all in another 20m, surging from second last along with Spright (Hinchinbrook) to finish less than a length from the winner.

Pedigree Notes:

Brave Smash is out of Japanese 1800m winner Tosen Smash (Jpn) (Tokai Teio (Jpn}), a half sister to black-type winner Tosen Jo O. Tosen Smash, who has a 2-year-old full sister to Brave Smash, also produced five-time Japanese winner S T Marilyn (Jpn) (Xaar {GB}).

She hails from the extended family of Japanese champion miler and successful sire Daiwa Major (Jpn) (Sunday Silence (USA)) as well as the champion filly and G1 Arima Kinen winner Daiwa Scarlet (Jpn) (Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}).