Omaha Beach's Band Of Brothers Off the Mark

Mark Smith - Thursday July 11

While many breeders take a standoffish approach to American-performed stallions, David Moodie has no such problem.

Dating back to a future champion sire, Forty Niner (USA), to Street Cry (USA) and Street Boss (USA), Moodie has been a big supporter. He appears to have a likely type in his 2-year-old Omaha Beach (USA) homebred Band Of Brothers.

Band Of Brothers gets the better of Let'sfacethemusic (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Coming off a debut fifth at Sale on June 26, Band Of Brothers broke his maiden over a field of bluebloods in the Brian Templeton's Final Dash Maiden Plate (1100m) at Bendigo on Thursday.

Advertisement

Ridden by Damian Lane for the ailing Mathew Ellerton, Band Of Brothers jumped smartly and settled outside the leader Let'sfacethemusic. The pair dominated the finish, with Band Of Brothers defeating the $475,000 I Am Invincible colt Let'sfacethemusic with five and a half lengths back to the $2,500,000 I Am Invincible colt Railway Man in third.

"He's a progressive horse, and after a few close seconds lately, it's good to get one over the line for Matty," Lane said.

"This horse has promised a bit and did a few things wrong first-up, but he didn't have the easiest of trips. He improved his manners today and showed what he has been showing at home.

"He travelled well throughout and always felt comfortable.

"It would be a great boost for Matty, who has been through a tough time but is on the mend, and I'm sure he would be watching. Well done to Matty's staff, who have been doing a terrific job, and the horses have been going great."

Band of Brothers a strapping son of Omaha Beach (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Band Of Brothers is the first winner from two to race for the unraced Medaglia d'Oro (USA) mare Medgrinda, a daughter of Kulgrinda (Exceed And Excel) whose five stakes winners were highlighted by the Group III SAJC RN Irwin Stakes.

A three-quarter sister to Viery Stud's Headwater, Kulgrinda descends from a family that has served Contact Racing well over the years.

Medgrinda has a yearling colt by Vino Rosso (USA) and a weanling filly by Gold Standard.

Arkansas Derby and Malibu Stakes winner Omaha Beach (War Front) shuttled to Australia from Spendthrift Farm's Kentucky base for two seasons.

Advertisment

Race Result - Brian Templeton's Final Dash Mdn Plate 1100m

Bendigo Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:04.92
1
Band Of Brothers
- 2g Omaha Beach (USA) x Medgrinda (AUS) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: M J Ellerton Rdr: Damian Lane 58
2
0.5
Let'sfacethemusic
- 2c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Torvill (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: J Mott 58
3
6
Railway Man
- 2c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Booker (AUS) (Written Tycoon (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: B Shinn 58
4
7
The Bantam
- 2c Hellbent (AUS) x Spirit Mania (AUS) (Lucky Owners (NZ))
Tnr: Brent Stanley Rdr: K Jennings 58
5
9.3
Li'l Brazen
- 2f Brazen Beau (AUS) x Li'l Cashy (AUS) (Keltrice (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: Will Price 56
6
9.8
Kaddari
- 2f Heroic Valour (AUS) x Sandrelli (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Nathan Punch 56
7
10.3
Foxy Heart
- 2g Foxwedge (AUS) x Bright Heart (AUS) (Dane Shadow (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Noblet Rdr: B Rawiller 58
8
10.8
The Immortals
- 2g I Am Immortal (AUS) x With Pride (AUS) (Charge Forward (AUS))
Tnr: Chris Calthorpe Rdr: R J Hurdle 58
9
11.1
Brutalism
- 2f Brutal (NZ) x Street Queen (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: S P Nichols Rdr: Zac Spain 56
More Reading...
G1 Winner La Crique Retired to Stud
La Crique, arguably the most consistent horse in Australasian racing, has been retired.
The $6,000 Stallion Casting a Long Shadow
While looking for an image of Snippets to go with our celebration of Snippets long form story before Christmas I was drawn to the back of my storage cupboard and there in a remote and dusty corner was a pile of Stallions books and 2001 gave me what I needed and also some serious food for thought.
Caulfield Cup Winner Making International News – Sales Relations?
Winner of the 2011 Group I MRC Caulfield Cup, South Australian bred star staying mare Southern Speed was retired to stud in Japan at the end of her career and was in the news this week when her four year-old son Cosmo Kuranda went within a whisker of winning the Group I Arima Kinen (2500m).
Juvenile Trial Watch - Randwick
There were three heats for juveniles at the Randwick trials on Tuesday morning and while the Ciaron Maher trained Magic Millions contender Unit Five was a scratching there were still some interesting winners including the half-brother to Tempted and a million dollar filly by Home Affairs.
Sires With Winners - Monday December 29
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Pedigree Pointers – Karaka 2026
The 2026 NZB National Yearling Sales (January 25-29) offers buyers the cream of the New Zealand crop and in the weeks leading up to the sale we’ll go looking for pedigrees of interest for a myriad of reasons.
Band Of Brothers Lands the G3 Vain Stakes
When Band Of Brothers broke his maiden at Bendigo, we noted the success his owner/breeder, David Moodie, has enjoyed with North American stallions. Right on cue, the son of Omaha Beach (USA) credited his sire with his first Australian stakes-winner in Saturday’s Group III Ive > Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
New Year Brings New Challenges in NZB Filly of the Year Series
With the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) moving five weeks earlier to February this year, summer races over 2000 metres have taken on greater importance in the NZB Filly of the Year Series – starting with the $270,000 Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
Rich Hill Bred Ace High Mare Chasing G2 Rich Hill Mile
Gifted four-year-old She’s A Dealer is in the right order to make a successful challenge for higher honours on New Year’s Day.
Ancient Spirit on His Way for White Robe Lodge
Last Friday was a bittersweet day for White Robe Lodge.