Bradman moves up Charge Forward's order
There is, of course, only one, true Bradman.
That’s the great Australian cricketer Don Bradman (1908-2001), whose Test batting average of 99.94 stands as one of the most remarkable achievements in world sport.
Three Australian-bred horses have carried the name and, although it’s early days, the current bearer may yet prove to be the best of them.
Pictured: The Don’s current namesake is the handsome 3YO Bradman, seen here at Randwick in October 2012. (PHOTO: Sportpix)
He is the 3YO Arrowfield graduate by Charge Forward who scored a last-stride win in yesterday’s $150,000 Bendigo Guineas for owners David Hayes, who trains him, Peter Devitt and the family of long-time stable client Les Gordon, who died just over a year ago.
The royal blue and pink colours of the Hayes-Devitt-Gordon partnership have already been worn by several top-order horses, among them the multiple Group 1 winners Niconero and Nicconi.
It was Bradman’s 4th win from 14 starts and indicated that Hayes’ early high opinion of his ability may well be justified.
Hayes explained to Brad Bishop for the Racing Victoria website, ?As a young horse, before he got colty, he was working very promisingly and I rang Peter Devitt and I said, ?make sure you give him a good, powerful name and that’s what he gave him. It’s worked.
?He’s been a bit late-maturing, but that was a great win in a good field today.?
A tilt at a race in even better company during the Sydney Autumn Carnival is now on the cards for Bradman.
Bred by Arrowfield in partnership with Planette Thoroughbred & Belford Productions, Bradman is out of the Flying Spur mare Portrayal whose yearling filly by Charge Forward was a $20,000 purchase by Blue Moon Racing at last week’s Magic Millions Adelaide Sale.
Peter Devitt paid $325,000 for the yearling Bradman at the 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale.
Zaragoza, a 2YO full brother to Bradman and the filly, is a winner and Group 3-placed in New Zealand this season. Portrayal has a weanling filly by Charge Forward and is in foal to Gio Ponti.
Charge Forward has been batting sixes all season, despite fewer runners than every stallion above him on the Australian General Sires’ list (ranked by stakeswinners). His 5 stakeswinners are all from the 65 runners his 2009 & 2010 crops have so far produced. Two of them, Urban Groove and Crack A Roadie are, like Bradman, from Flying Spur mares.
Charge Forward has 8 lots catalogued for the 2013 Inglis Australian Easter Sale, including two very well-related fillies in the Arrowfield draft – view them here .
