Briganti's Hot Sandown Treble

MARIO Briganti enjoyed a night to remember at Sandown Park last Thursday, celebrating a winning treble and a second from his four starters.

Briganti was successful with emerging stayer Hot Tip and Primed Engine, superbly-bred January '16 litter brothers by Barcia Bale out of former star Western Australian sprinter Hot Irish, and Undisputed, a March '16 son of Fernando Bale and Punk Rock Lass, bred by Pearcedale-based Briganti.
Briganti was denied a perfect four from four haul when the well-fancied Carltonian, a littermate to Hot Tip and Primed Engine, rated by the Group 1-winning mentor as the fastest dog in his kennel, was runner-up in the Grade 5 Final over 595m.
"I only backed one of the four; don't ask me which one I backed," Briganti laughed.
"It was a big night. I've had one previous treble, at The Meadows on a Wednesday. I expected all four to go well, although the dog in the first (Primed Engine) was a bit of a surprise. He can run a bit, although his form doesn't really show it, and he was probably over the odds."
Briganti's night started on a perfect note in the opening event when the lightly-raced Primed Engine was an upset $24.40 all-the-way winner of a 515m grade 5 event, clocking 29.82 to claim back-to-back Sandown successes and improve his record to four from 11.
"Primed Engine has bad legs and he's been one of those dogs that I haven't been able to get a good preparation with," Briganti explained.
"He had an operation on his wrist and had his tonsils out at the same time about three months ago and I think getting him up over 500 at his last couple of starts has been his go, even though he's not overly strong.
"I wouldn't say he's the slowest in the litter, but because of his problems he's always been behind the others."
Hot Tip completed a double for the Barcia Bale – Hot Irish litter when continuing his ultra-consistent staying and middle distance form with a dominant all-the-way 715m victory, defeating Sharp Diamond by 4.36 lengths in 41.86, his 14th win from 34 starts.
"Hot Tip tries his heart out. You'd like to have a kennel-full like him," Briganti said.
"He's developing into a nice stayer. Now that he's had 10-12 runs over 700 he's really conditioned well and matured and his times are starting to show that. I think he'll measure up to better races, although the timing isn't great to have a half-decent stayer when there's dogs like Tornado Tears and Rippin' Sam around!"
While Hot Tip has now won seven of his last ten starts and four of his last five, his litter brother Carltonian is a source of some frustration for Briganti.
"Carltonian is definitely the quickest dog in the Barcia Bale – Hot Irish litter," Briganti offered.
"He's got X factor written all over him but what he trials and produces in races is like chalk and cheese. That's why I stepped him up to 600; trying to get him up near the speed and hopefully he'll chase a bit better.
"I was thinking about putting him in the heats of the (Group 2) McKenna Memorial on Thursday but he's just not coming out good enough. I wouldn't think he'd run 700 because he has too much brilliance about him. He'd hit a brick wall.
"It reminds me of when I had Emrys a few years ago. He made three Group 1 finals but was unlucky to be around in the same era as Fernando Bale, Dyna Double One and Above All. I also had his litter brother, Cigar Sam, which had as much ability, if not more, but didn't show it."
Briganti's other winner was the homebred Undisputed, which produced a strong-railing performance to score impressively in 29.72, his sixth win at start 18.
"Undisputed isn't brilliant early but he chases ten out of ten and he's very consistent," Briganti said.
"In his first preparation he wasn't hitting the line like I expected him to but his last couple of runs have been the best he's finished off. Our breed tend to get stronger as they get older so hopefully it's onward and upwards with him."
While Briganti currently only has a team of seven in work, he's understandably excited about a regally bred nine-month-old litter by the great Brett Lee out of Angie Rocks, a prodigiously talented daughter of Kinloch Brae and Punk Rock Lass that finished runner-up in the Group 1 Sapphire Crown and Group 3 SA Oaks in 2015.
Angie Rocks also produced her second litter to Barcia Bale in May.