The Dunn family ended All Star's domination of recent New Zealand Kindergarten Stakes when at Wyndham on Saturday, true to his name, The Brooklyn Brawler fought best in the 2017 renewal.
Trainer Robert Dunn had two in the race and two sons to do the driving, The Brooklyn Brawler by John and third placed Tuapeka Trick by Dexter. Best of the All Stars was runner up The Devils Own who missed by half a length in the hands of Tim Williams. Next best, Major Lucky and Michelle Neilson, were fourth and that quartet had the finish to themselves in the mobile mile cut out in 1:54.4.
Alta Shelby was fastest out at the start but wasn't travelling smoothly. From the one draw Major Lucky held the front until handing to The Brooklyn Brawler entering the back straight. On turning in, John Dunn appeared to have pinched a break but 100 metres later the brawling began.
“I thought the others were going better but he dug in,” Dunn said, “he's lovely in front, best when he's rolling along, he can go good quarters but can't sprint.”
Dunn said he could have gone out quicker from the gate but decided to take his time. His tactics were similar to those he employed in the Sapling Stakes before Cole Porter came off The Brooklyn Brawler's back and wore him down.
“He was beaten by a nice horse who had a better run,” Dunn said of the Ashburton feature, “and he'd flown in from Auckland just two days before the race. He was more experienced than the others today.”
A $45,000 purchase at the 2016 premier sale, the son of Art Major and So Green is raced by Alan and Ian Neumann, members of the Ashburton family who operate the Neumann's Tyre group and the South Island chain Tyre General. Ian Neumann travelled south for the race while his brother Alan, a former Ashburton Club president, watched from Auckland.
Their business sponsors the group three Neumann Bandag Hambletonian Classic for three year old trotters. It is in that gait the Neumanns are probably better known as owners, Ian pointing to Tyron Scottie as the best. Trained by Patrick O'Reilly, the son of Noodlum was the winner of 21 races and nearly $300,000 in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He said group race winning two year old pacers have been a rarity but he can remember the Robert Dunn-trained Chadfield running fifth for them in the June 1983 New Zealand Sapling Stakes.
Dunn said plans are for The Brooklyn Brawler to stay south this week and line up at Ascot Park in the $10,000 Diamond Head Lodge mobile 2200 for juvenile males on Northern Southland Cup day. With stablemate Alta Maestro two from two in the north, he indicated the chances of The Brooklyn Brawler returning there in the near future are slim.
Mac Henry
