Winning a Villiers Stakes has been a blessing and a curse for tough gelding Brutality, but he has finally got his head back in front at Randwick in what might prove his career swansong.
The six-year-old has been difficult to place since taking out the 2021 summer feature but trainer Joe Pride found the right race on Saturday.
Despite shouldering 62kg and conceding 8-1/2 kilos to runner-up and $3.80 favourite Vienna Princess, Brutality ($21) broke a 19-month run of outs, sweeping home from the back to claim the TAB Handicap (1400m) and take his prizemoney over the $1 million barrier in the process.
“He needed $20,000 to crack the $1 million so he’s got a bit more than that today,” Pride said.
“I know retirement is close but it’s just fantastic to see him get another win because he hasn’t won since the Villiers.
“He’s a horse we picked out and he was a cheapie, we’ve had a lot of fun with him.
“It will probably be the last time, but to get him over the line again was great.”
While Pride isn’t making any decisions on race day, he says Brutality’s win may have accelerated plans to retire him.
He will see how the horse comes through Saturday’s win and consider throwing in a nomination for next weekend’s Winter Challenge (1400m), but Pride is also mindful of the toll Saturday’s effort will take.
Connections had set a goal to get Brutality into the ‘millionarie’s club’ before pulling the pin on his career, and with that achieved, Pride isn’t sure there is much left to chase.
“I really wanted him to get to the million,” Pride said.
“I’m not sending him around just so this poor horse can clock up $1 million, he still enjoys what he does, but from older horses, that generally takes a bit out of them when they have a tough run like that.
“Part of me would like to see him retire today but I’ll have a think about it. There’s not much more he can do.”