Mungrup Stud sire Oratorio (Aus) gave trainer Dave Casey another welcome winner when Flying Solo landed the Westspeed Nursery Hcp (1300m) at Belmont on Wednesday.

Flying Solo (2f Oratorio – Miss Glen Argyle by Desert Sun) had run a bottler on debut behind Wombie’s Legacy and the benefit of that hit-out was apparent when she powered home for a two length victory second-up.

Casey claimed a career-high victory when his Oratorio filly Motion Pictures won the 2010 Karrakatta Plate.

Flying Solo is raced by Henley Brook breeder Rob Bransby and the link with Motion Pictures persuaded him to book her dam into Oratorio.  “He crosses well with staying bred mares,” Bransby declared.  “Motion Pictures is out of a Marooned mare and Miss Glen Argyle is by Desert Sun out of a Zabeel mare.”

Bransby has a staying pedigree of his own.  His great-grandfather and grandfather were both accomplished horsemen and, on his mother’s side, he’s related to trotting trainer Bill Foy.

Foy prepared champion pacer Beau Don who won the 1952 WA Derby and WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park.  He was rated good enough to be an inaugural inductee into the WA Hall of Fame alongside Mount Eden, Pure Steel, Village Kid and Preux Chevalier!

But Rob’s greatest influence, by far, was his father Bob Bransby.  Known for his uncanny ability to target a race and then target bookmakers, Bransby won plenty with the ‘Patrol’ horses who carried the family’s brown and lilac striped colours.

There was Jungle Patrol (WA Winter Cup), Patrol Girl (Caris Diamond Stakes) and the best of them all Patrol Zone (Aquanita Stakes).  “I had the utmost respect for Dad,” Bransby said.  “When he declared them, they usually won.”

Flying Solo firmed from $7 into $3.60 before winning on Wednesday, however, Bransby was happy enough to pocket the $13,000 first prizemoney.  “Dad’s best advice was to stay off the punt and I’m just as pleased breeding a winner as backing one,” Bransby added.  “But we were confident because she ran such a good race first-up over 1400m.”

Flying Solo’s dam Miss Glen Argyle is in foal to Mungrup sire Danehill Express and so is Bransby’s other mare Princess Belle (Bletchley Park).

Oratorio (Stravinsky) stands for a $22,000 fee at Mungrup in 2012 while Danehill Express (Danehill) is priced at $8,800.

ORATORIO