Vinery Stud has built up a successful strike-rate at the Melbourne Premier graduates in recent years and its latest to emerge are South African Group 1 galloper Brazuca and brilliant Hong Kong sprinter Eroico.

Brazuca (Teofilo) cost $80,000 at the 2014 Melbourne Premier and he flew home to finish second to It’s My Turn in the G1 Cape Derby (2000m) at Kenilworth last month.  “He struggled to go the early pace and was off the bit most of the way,” jockey Juan Paul van der Merwe reported.  “But we made up many lengths when he found his stride.”

The Australian import has a sole Vaal win to his credit but is clearly top class with three Group 1 placings to his credit.

Brazuca’s connections took the unconventional step of starting him as a maiden in the G1 Golden Horseshoe (1400m) at Greyville last July and he was pipped a short-head in a blanket finish by champion colt Seventh Plain.

The Melbourne Premier graduate returned this season and was prominent in the G1 Cape Guineas (1600m) before finishing a three-quarter length second to Noah From Goa who is close to the top three year-old in South Africa.

“I ran him in the Golden Horseshoe because he’s that good,” trainer Janse van Vuuren said.  “There’s no stamina in his pedigree and at one stage I thought he wouldn’t even get a mile but the Derby proved he can definitely stay a trip.”

Vinery’s Hong Kong galloper Eroico was a $60,000 Vinery graduate from Oaklands and has earned AUD 847,025 for Dr Edwin Lam and trainer John Size.  The son of Rosemont Stud sire Starcraft scored 4 times in 6 starts with Joao Moriera aboard last season and the next win isn’t far away after a close-up fourth at Happy Valley last month.

Among the 11 yearlings in Vinery’s 2016 consignment are three fillies and a colt from the first crop by boom sire All Too Hard.  They will be popular with Victorian buyers who saw him win three Group 1 races in Melbourne including a victory over Pierro in the 2012 Caulfield Guineas.

All Too Hard was bred at Nagambie by Gilgai Farm owner Rick Jamieson and he is a half-brother to world-champion Black Caviar.  His filly from Purple Blood (Lot 284) is a half-sister to Brisbane stakes winner Sookie (Casino Prince) and her second dam Victory Vein was Australia’s Champion 2YO Filly in 2002.

BRAZUCA
Vinery graduate (outer) is narrowly beaten by Seventh Plain (centre) in the G1 Golden Horseshoe