He was up in class, distance and weight racing on a heavy surface but, despite having a fair bit against him, Bravo Tango was just too strong when winning his second race at Geelong on Sunday.
Kept safe on the back of an impressive debut maiden victory at Donald, the exciting bay settled back from a trick gate, hooking out around them approaching the turn – ending up widest turning, almost scraping the outside fence as he straightened!
Watching the race unfold Mitchell Freedman admitted to being concerned – “I could see that he had the momentum but I was wary that he was in the wrong part of the track.”
Racing very greenly, ducking in and shifting ground, Bravo Tango did plenty wrong but once hitting the lead was strong to the line, drawing clear late to salute by a soft 3/4 length.
“He still has no idea what he is doing,” jockey Ben Melham reported.
“He is very raw but he really picked up underneath me like a smart horse. He has got maturing to do but if he keeps improving he has got enough ability to measure up in stakes class.”
Mitchell agreed – “he is a serious horse,” he said.
“He has got a lot of ability and I have not been able to train him too hard as he is not quite ready for it, we will see a good horse in the autumn.”
Whether Bravo Tango again heads to the races this time in depends on his recovery – “we will see how he pulls up and make a plan from there,” Mitchell said.
Whilst Bravo Tango’s sire Congrats has proven a disappointment in this part of the world, there is certainly something to the mating that produced this fellow whose Group One placed full brother Chimboraa is one of his sire’s best Australian best progeny.
Bred in NSW by Kia Ora Stud and purchased at last year’s Inglis Classic Sale, Bravo Tango – a descendant of the legendary Pretty Polly – is out of the imported Sadler’s Wells mare Pas de Deux, a full sister to the Listed winner Kournakova and half-sister to the Royal Ascot Group One winner Shake The Yoke.
Congratulations to Bravo Tango’s happy owners led by Mcgrath Racing.
