Derby dream becoming “Brutally” close

Brutally Handsome (Art Major) has a date with destiny at harness racing’s Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night (Oct. 1).

From the moment the Berringa training partnership of BJ and AJ Tindale purchased him at the 2020 APG yearling sale in Melbourne, they saw him as a Derby contender.
“Our aspiration right from the outset was to aim him at the Derby,” AJ said.

Their plan comes to fruition when he lines up in the first heat of the Downbytheseaside Victoria Derby (2760m).

She said Brutally Handsome had been the first “big” yearling purchase they had made.

“We’d previously gone to the sales with a budget of no more $20,000,” AJ said.

“We thought instead of buying a few cheaper ones we’d have a crack and buy a good one.

“It doesn’t always pay off, but it has with this guy.”

They paid $50,000 for him and he has earned $98,325 with four wins in 25 starts.

AJ said there was real excitement among the ownership group ahead of the Derby heat, given the taste of big-time racing that Brutally Handsome had given them as a two-year-old.

He gave them a massive thrill with a second to Catch A Wave in the Group 1 Breeders Crown final.

AJ said he was so big and immature as a youngster that anything he achieved as a two-year-old was always going to be a bonus.

“He did a marvellous job,” she said.

“His main goals were always going to come as a three-year-old and onward.”

She said so much were they focused on the long-term that they almost bypassed the Breeders Crown.

“We were primarily focused on winning his maiden,” she said.

They were persuaded to take a shot at the age classic when he ran second to Anotherbigman at Melton after facing the breeze.

He won his heat and then stamped himself in the final as a youngster with a big future.

Brutally Handsome gets another opportunity to deliver on that on Saturday night, with the Tindales feeling comfortable about the challenge.

“He’s come back bigger and better as we expected,” AJ said.

“He’s fit and feeling fantastic.

“He’s destroyed two rugs (in the paddock) in the past five days, so he’s feeling good.”

Brutally Handsome has won three times this season – including his last start over 1609m in 1:54.7 at Geelong a couple of weeks ago – and only missed a top three finish once in 11 starts.

BRUTALLY HANDSOME GEELONG REPLAY

Brutally Handsome has drawn outside the second row beside hot favourite Catch A Wave, with the first six in each of the two heats to qualify for the Group 1 $200,000 final to be run on Saturday, October 8.

AJ said it would be amazing if Brutally Handsome made the final.

“It would top off what has already been a great year,” she said.

The Tindales are enjoying one of the most successful periods they have had in the four seasons since they formally went into a training partnership.

A double at Bendigo on Wednesday night gave them 10 wins for the calendar month and 28^th win of the season. This equalled their previous best achieved in 2018-19.

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by David Brehaut, for HRV