Spring stakes-winner Of the Brave was the first Australian winner and stakes-winner for fertility troubled sire sensation Starspangledbanner when he scored a dominant debut victory in the Listed MRC Debutant Stakes.
The Mark Riley trained colt tuned up for his Blue Diamond campaign with a three
length win in his 800 metre trial clocking 45:44 seconds.A $170,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Rosemont Stud draft, Of the Brave is a three-quarter brother to brilliant Group II winning filly Eloping from the good producing Rory's Jester mare Runaway Jesse.
If Of the Brave can progress further this season to make his mark in Group I races he will represent serious stallion potential given the limited number of sire prospect sons of Starspangledbanner we can expect to see in the future.
That said, fertility issues have not stopped plenty of breeders electing to roll the dice with the globetrotting son of Choisir, who covered 91 mares at Rosemont Stud in Victoria last year at a fee of $16,500.
Also from the Mark Riley stable, two year-old Written Tycoon colt Royalic won his trial clocking a slightly faster time of 44.90.
Luckless, when out of the placings at his only spring run in the Listed VRC Maribyrnong Trial, Royalic could easily improve sharply when we see him on race day.
A $240,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Robin Wise draft, Royalic is a full brother to Group III winner Trump and was the most expensive yearling by his sire sold in 2014 and has the record as his most expensive ever.
Paid up for the Blue Diamond is the Robbie Griffiths trained filly Deja Blue won her trial at her first public outing scoring by two lengths in 45.74.
The grey daughter of Denman comes from an imported family featuring plenty of speed and was a $60,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Phoenix Broodmare Farm draft.
The remaining trial was won by Little Indian with spring stakes-winners Antelucan and Thurlow given a quiet time in finishing third and fourth.
Click here to see all the Cranbourne trial results including wins for star three year-old fillies Earthquake and Fontein Ruby.
