NSW mare Brook Road graduated to a well-deserved black-type victory on the road in Brisbane on Saturday.
Sent north by trainer Kris Lees, the daughter of God’s Own won the LR Travel Classic (1200m) by a half-length from G1 Queensland Oaks winner Tinto (Red Dazzler).
Brook Road (4m God’s Own – Cool Gal by Secret Savings) had been placed at her previous three starts in Sydney before breaking through in the $100,000 event for fillies and mares. Among those minors was a close second to Avoid Lightning in the G3 The Nivison at Randwick last month.
“I was very confident today,” jockey Jim Byrne said. “She takes a little while to pick up but then she accelerates and sprints strongly to the end.”
Initially under the care of Bart and James Cummings, she was sold to Australian Bloodstock earlier this year and now carries the same colours as Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist and Group 1 sprinter Master Of Design.
Brook Road is the 6th stakes-winner by Greta West Stud stallion God’s Own who climbed off the canvas twice to win the 2005 Caulfield Guineas for Cummings. She was bred by the master as was her three-time winning older sister Rosscarbery who was named after the County Cork birthplace of Bart’s mother Annie.
Their dam Cool Gal has a Roman Emperor colt catalogued as Lot 21 for the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale on February 8 under Bart’s Princes Farm banner.
Lees will spell Brook Road instead of staying in Brisbane for the LR Just Now Quality (1350m) in a fortnight. “It’s a pretty good effort for a lightly-raced mare to come up here and beat the best in Queensland,” stable spokesman Mel Eggleston said. “Kris has got some nice races in mind for her at the Sydney autumn carnival.”