Written by Paul Vettise
The Inevitable (Dundeel {NZ}) is proving to be another shining example of the experience of David Brunton and his skilled eye for yearlings from the lower end of the market.
Year upon year he has enjoyed success from the auction ring, and his son Scott’s Tasmanian operation at Seven Mile Beach, has been a major benefactor.
Multiple stakes winner The Inevitable has been the most expensive purchase so far for Brunton senior when he went to $90,000 to secure the youngster bred by Tori Park’s Alistair McFarlane and offered by Cornerstone Stud at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Scott Brunton and jockey Sigrid Carr
“Dad bought him and he’s about as big now as he was then, he hasn’t grown a lot but he’s been an incredible horse,” Scott Brunton said.
A half-brother to the G3 Adelaide Guineas winner Blahnik (Jeune {GB}) and the Listed Pewsey S. winner Elysees (Statue Of Liberty {USA}), The Inevitable is a son of Gift Bouquet (King’s High) who sadly passed away last year.
“Dad really liked him at the sales and my old man has bought out of the bargain box for the last 20 years,” Brunton said. “He’s been able to find some terrific yearlings around the $10,000 to $30,000 mark.
“Dad really liked him at the sales and my old man’s bought out of the bargain box for the last 20 years.” - Scott Brunton.
“$90,000 is the most we’ve ever paid, we don’t swing with the big boys that well, and he’s just done an incredible job to keep finding them.
“For Dad to spend $90,000 shows how much he really liked it. He’s kept us alive finding these good ones, including Lady Lynette.”
A $13,000 yearling buy at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Breeders Yearling Sale, Lady Lynette (Ladoni {GB}) won 14 races including the G2 Blazer S. and two editions of the G3 Tesio S. and was runner-up in the G1 Myer Classic. She retired with stake earnings of more than $1.1 million.
Lady Lynette was a $13,000 yearling buy at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Breeders Yearling Sale. She went on to earn $1.1 million.
“He’s always been able to find us a really nice horse. He was foreman for Angus Armanasco and took over from Noel Kelly when he passed away so he’s got a great knowledge,” Brunton said.
That’s certainly playing out now with the rise of The Inevitable, who won last season’s Listed Tasmanian Guineas before his first trip to Melbourne to triumph in the G3 Hayes S. He finished a respectable 8th behind fellow Tasmanian Mystic Journey (Needs Further) in the G1 Australian Guineas before a deserved break.
Perfect this prep
The 4-year-old remained unbeaten in two starts this preparation when he added Saturday’s Listed Bendigo Bank S. at The Valley to his record to close in on $400,000 in earnings and the promise of much more to come.
The Inevitable winning the Listed Bendigo Banks S.
“He’s going great and it’s just so exciting. He lightened up a bit on the trip over and there’s not much of the horse, he’s lightly-framed as it is,” Brunton said.
“I had a few concerns going into the run, but like with every good horse, every mistake you make with them they are good enough to cover them up. He beat very good horses very easily.
“It’s very hard to get your hands on a good horse here in Tassie. We’ve been lucky to do so on a few occasions and he’s certainly the best of them.”
Scott is congratulated after The Inevitable's win on Saturday
Brunton’s main aim with The Inevitable is a crack at the $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill on November 2, but the path there has yet to be locked in.
“We hope everything falls into place for it. The one plan we are hoping to execute is to get to the Golden Eagle,” Brunton said.
“He definitely won’t go back to Melbourne for the Sir Rupert Clarke though. That’s just too quick a turnaround and too hard on the horse.”
