General Truce signalled he will be a genuine spring contender with a pleasing first-up effort in the Listed Dermody Stakes at Morphettville last Saturday.

General Truce (3g Brief Truce – General Resolve by General Nediym) was resuming after a five month spell and, despite a visitor’s draw at the 1050m start, he only went down a half-head to local sprinter Streetcar Magic.

Trainer Ricky Maund prepares the gelding for Lauriston Stud’s Kevin and Tanith O’Brien.  “We went to Adelaide to take advantage of the set weight scale,” Maund said.  “He got in better over there than the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield.”

Maund’s immediate goal for the gelding is the Listed MRC Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 14.  “I gave him a good break after he was beaten by Crystal Lily at Caulfield in February,” Maund explained.  “He’s not a big horse by any means but he’s got a good motor and has come back with a much better attitude.”

General Truce hit the ground running last spring winning a Bendigo maiden at $12 before doubling up in the G3 VRC Maribyrnong Plate at $61.  “The Flemington win didn’t surprise me,” Maund recalled.  “He won at Bendigo despite doing a few things wrong.  And two-year-old form out of Bendigo usually stands up to the mark.”

General Truce was bred by the O’Briens from their Traralgon maiden winner General Resolve.  She is related to the Marscay speed merchants Jetball (G1 AJC Galaxy Hcp) and Marwina (G3 AJC Stan Fox Stakes).

His sire Brief Truce has just turned 21 and stands with Arazi on an Independent Stallions roster that has recently been revamped by studmaster Mike Becker.

Brief Truce (Irish River) was a G1 winner of the St James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and his overall statistics are staggering.  He has sired 559 individual winners in 31 different countries since retiring to stud in 1994.  

He passed another milestone when the Jim Mason trained gelding Tobster saluted in a 1400m maiden at Sale on Thursday.  It took his tally of wins to 1750 world wide!

Brief Truce has been represented by 52 stakes performers and General Truce will endeavour to add more black-type in the Vain Stakes on Saturday week.  All going well, he will then be set for the G1 Coolmore Ascot Vale Stakes at Flemington on October 30.

The O’Briens won the Ascot Vale in 2006 when their champion filly Gold Edition beat the colts down the straight-six.  She started a $5 favourite and blew them away by four lengths.

Brief Truce will stand for a $3,300 service fee in 2010.  Mike Becker can be contacted for more information on 03 5794 2248