Brawn wins Nunes Memorial Cup

LONG-SUFFERING backers of Gary Subratie's United States importee, BRAWN, finally got their payday yesterday when the stubborn bay gelding left the gate clean enough to win the 1820-metre Nigel B. Nunes

Memorial feature race.

Having raced as recent as last week Saturday when he refused to leave the starting gate and whipped around after eventually crawling out, BRAWN was extensively warmed up in front the stands yesterday by jockey Aaron Chatrie.

The five-year-old responded with a decent break, by his standards, and settled in the pace entering the backstretch while his stablemate, AWESOME DESTINY, led ANOTHER BULLET with PROLIFIC PRINCESS and rail-running PINELOPE moved up to challenge five furlongs out.

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With his back class never in doubt, BRAWN, who campaigned among grade one horses up to July, was snapping on the heels of the leaders entering the straight after making his move wide of ANOTHER BULLET and PROLIFIC PRINCESS on the final turn.

It was simply a matter of how far the bay gelding would have won at that point and he powered away from rivals to win by two lengths ahead of late-closing ROYAL VIBES, who claimed second at odds of 6-1 with champion jockey Omar Walker.

Subratie shared honours with Steven Todd, logging a pair of winners for the second consecutive Saturday, opening his account in the eighth event with three-year-old maiden UNCLE FREDDIE, partnered by two-kilo claiming apprentice Anthony Thomas, who stole the 11-race card with four winners.

Thomas kicked off his four-timer with STIR IT UP in the third and followed up with two straight winners, UNCLE FREDDIE and FORTUNEONEHUNDRED, in the eighth and ninth races, respectively, before producing 11-1 outsider POWERFUL RED in the closing event.

Racing continues at Caymanas Park on Saturday.