Smart Missile’s Briasa confirmed himself a star of Australian sprinting, winning the Group I TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday where a good barrier helped atone for the horror of the previous Group One attempt.
The Team Hawkes trained Briasa had resumed two weeks prior in the Group I Galaxy with a record of seven starts for six wins, but having drawn gate 13 of 13 the tactics were to go back, where he found himself several lengths behind the second last horse at the midpoint of the 1100 metres.
From there it was as impressive a chase as it was forlorn, charging down the outside, having come widest, to finish fourth behind another new sprint star in Private Harry.
Barrier three this time however saw no such dramas, with Tyler Schiller positive from the outset, settling near the pace and on straightening it was plain to see he had plenty to offer, and did look the likely winner for much of it.
The tough and hard old hand that is Overpass certainly made him work for his victory but in the end Briasa prevailed by a head with Headwall (Dream Ahead) third.
The win advances his record to seven wins from nine starts with earnings of $2,684,975.
Given the narrow margin the comments from Schiller afterwards were interesting:
“He quickened up like the right horse, and Overpass was very brave to his credit.
“I thought he was kicking very strongly but I always felt from the 200 I had him covered and I was very happy when I just kept surging through the line and he's just a super horse.
“I don't even think I've used all of it (his big finish) today. I used a bit of it to get to them but I didn't extend him fully.
“I just asked him to win the race and that he did, so I'm still hopeful that there's plenty of upside.
“He's such an exciting horse.”
The Johnson family homebred is one of four winners for the hard-knocking Twining 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.
He is from the prolific family of Sovereign Edition’s half-sister Royal News which also provided another new stakes winner on the same Championships Day One card in North England.
Mary's Grace died in September with her final foal a 2-year-old colt by Sensei which remains unnamed.
Briasa is the second Group I winner and 27th stakes winner for Twin Hill Stud’s consistent and reliable Smart Missile.
He sits comfortably within the top 20 stallions in the country by winners and after this result will be close to the same realm by earnings.
