Heroic Valour's three -year-old brother Heart Of Courage showed he was on target for this classic season with a win at the Te Teko trials on Tuesday.
The son of Fastnet Rock won a maiden three-year-old heat over 820m under the guidance of apprentice Wiremu Pinn. The pair worked forward to be three wide near the lead, quickened to a handy advantage at the 200m and remained strong to get the win – providing Apprentice Pinn with his first trial win, one of two on the day.
Owned by the Te Akau 2016 Breeding Syndicate, he is a brother to fellow Curraghmore graduate Heroic Valour who finished second Top Two-Year-Old in the 2015/16 NZ Free Handicaps after being unbeaten in three starts including the $200,000 Diamond Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m). Continuing his form at three, Heroic Valour resumed with a listed race win, finished third in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), plus three other stakes placed performances and finished a highly creditable fourth in the weight-for-age $200,000 NRM Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m) in February at Te Rapa.
Impressed by the deeds of Heroic Valour, David Ellis purchased Heart of Courage for $510,000 from the draft of Curraghmore at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.
