Melbourne’s spring carnival just keeps getting better for New Zealand Bloodstock. Weight-for-age star So You Think was a $110,000 NZB graduate and the Karaka sales centre produced Brazilian Pulse and Shamrocker to fill the quinella in the Group 1 VRC Oaks at Flemington on Thursday.
Brazilian Pulse was sent out a $2.80 favourite after a brave win in the G2 Wakeful Stakes on Saturday. Craig Williams rode her confidently on the pace before she powered away in the straight.
Trainer Mike Moroney was elated with the win. “She was really strong at the finish and it was a really good effort,” Moroney said. “She goes to the paddock now and first thoughts would be to head to Sydney for the autumn.”
Brazilian Pulse (3f Captain Rio – Sharazad by Tenby) won on debut at Ballarat in September and followed up at Sandown a fortnight later. She was placed in the G2 Edward Manfold Stakes and G1 Thousand Guineas before claiming the Wakeful.
Paul Moroney purchased Brazilian Pulse for $26,000 from Raffles Farm at the 2009 NZB Select Yearling Sale at Karaka. She is by Westbury Stud’s Pivotal stallion Captain Rio whose 12 stakes winners include the Champion New Zealand 2YO Il Quello Veloce.
“Paul didn’t pay much money for her,” Moroney said. “He actually saw her pretty early on during his tour round the Waikato and was always going to buy her.
“She had a couple of barrier trials in New Zealand as a late two-year-old then we put her aside and brought her across here. Paul said she was a very good filly and we took his word for it.”
Running home for second was another NZ Bloodstock graduate Shamrocker. The O’Reilly filly was purchased for $65,000 by Danny O’Brien at the 2009 Karaka Select yearling sale. Her half-brother by Shinko King is nominated for the 2011 NZ National yearling sales.