This two year-old Redoute’s Choice colt is bred to be a classic contender next season, but he’s broken the ice early saluting at Goulburn on Tuesday for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.
Mount Brilliant won a trial last spring and was deemed good enough to contest the $1million ATC Golden Gift won by Sejardan on debut and while he failed to flatter that day, showing pace and then fading, he has returned to racing a much stronger horse.
Fifth when resuming from a spell at Canterbury earlier this month, Mount Brilliant was stepped up in trip to 1400m for this assignment and set the pace before pulling out plenty to the line to win by a short neck.
A $350,000 Magic Millions purchase for Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Arrowfield Stud draft, Mount Brilliant runs for a syndicate that includes US based Mt Brilliant Broodmares, who co-bred the colt with Arrowfield.
He is the third winner and first Australian foal from Al Jasrah (IRE) a half-sister by Monsun’s Group I winning son Shirocco to the dam of $7million earning four time Group I winner Hartnell (IRE).
Al Jasrah has two more foals to follow by The Autumn Sun with her yearling filly making $200,000 at Magic Millions and she is back in foal to him again.
Pedigree would suggest Mount Brilliant will only get better with maturity and longer trips, so watch this space!