First Winner for Darci Brahma

The young, blue-blood sire Darci Brahma (Danehill) recorded his first winner on the weekend with his smart two-year-old colt Super Easy in the KPR Catering 2YO Handicap (1000m).

The John Sargent trained Super Easy (Darci Brahma x Parfore) was favourite for the two-year-old race at Trentham after winning both of his trials coming into Saturday's race. Winning by a neck, the colt was stretched as the Fastnet Rock filly Planet Rock (ex Akris) mounted a promising challenge with the pair finishing five lengths in front of the rest of the field.

Bought by Blue Sky Thoroughbreds for $140,000 from the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale from Esker Lodge, the two-year-old is managed by bloodstock agent Michael Wallace and is owned by the Singapore based Joy and Happiness Stable. A future in Singapore looks likely but for now a tilt at the Karaka Million is on the cards for the colt. The win puts the two-year-old in ninth place on the Karaka Million Order of Entry with $9,375 in stakes earnings.

Super Easy became Darci Brahma's first winner from just seven to the races so far. The leading first season sire at Karaka earlier in the year, his yearlings averaged $118,439, including a top price of $480,000 for the colt from Fairy Lights bought by Dean Hawthorne from The Oaks Stud. With a winner under his belt, Darci Brahma has cast a timely spotlight on his 50 yearlings destined for Karaka in January (31 Premier, 18 Select, 1 Festival).

Among his highlights at Karaka 2011 are Lot 62, the colt out of Songfest, the dam of Singapore sensation Better Than Ever (French Deputy); Lot 456, the colt from Natalie Wood, the dam of up and coming star Maluckyday (Zabeel); and Lot 8 the colt from the Group 2 winning mare Real Success, the dam of Group 1 winner Vouvray (Zabeel).

A half-brother to Darci Brahma by leading New Zealand sire Pins is also being offered in the sale at Lot 346. With Grand Echezeaux having three colts sold in the ring for an aggregate of $4.6 million, he looks set to be one of the highlights of the sale.

The Karaka Million Order of Entry is really heating up with 36 horses racing their way into contention for New Zealand's richest two-year-old race. Order of Entry leader Antonio Lombardo (O'Reilly) maintains his lead on $34,975 from Bespoke (Pins) who is second with $33,875 in stakes.

Other well-performed horses include Savabill (Savabeel) who is unbeaten in his two starts, Brackenwood (Perfectly Ready), the winner of the Listed Murdoch Stakes, Precise (Perfectly Ready), the first filly on the Order of Entry and Cracker (O'Reilly), last week's impressive winner at Pukekohe.

New Zealand Bloodstock's Karaka Million will be held at Ellerslie on January 30. To see the updated Order of Entry for the Karaka Million as well as the Karaka Three-Year-Old Mile, click here.