In light of recent meetings, the mares Brucio and Mongibello, appear to have gotten under a well-deserved spotlight. They do share a peculiar amount of common traits. Both mares were born in 2018 and are sired by Authorised. They were bred by Ashbrittle Stud and sold on the same day at the Goffs UK August Mixed Sale in 2021. Anthony Bromley purchased both horses for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, who entrusted them to trainer Stuart Crawford. Last Sunday, they both competed at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Mongibello, who had an impressive victory in a bumper at Down Royal on St Stephen's Day, didn't have the same success as the 9/2 second favourite in the Grade Two mares' bumper at Leopardstown on Sunday. However, she is in good form and shows great potential for the future.
On the other hand, Brucio participated in the Paddy Mullins Mares' Handicap Hurdle, the first race on Sunday. Crawford admits they didn't have high expectations for Brucio, considering her underwhelming performances after a Grade Three bumper at Punchestown last April. However, they saw a nice opportunity for her in a maiden hurdle at Catterick last month, which she won convincingly. Based on that victory, they thought she might have a high enough handicap rating to qualify for Sunday's race. With Simon and Isaac present, Brucio provided another win for them.
Brucio showed her potential by staying close to the pace throughout the race. Jockey JJ Slevin positioned her nicely at the end of the back straight, and she gradually closed the gap on the clear leader Minx Tiara. Approaching the final flight, Brucio joined the leader and powered ahead to win by six lengths.
Crawford always had faith in Brucio, as she consistently displayed some ability and continued to improve over time. The decision to run in Sunday's race only came after her win at Catterick, as it ensured she met the handicap requirements. Crawford expressed his delight for Simon and Isaac, the owners, and called attention to their successful partnership with Anthony Bromley.
Crawford's successful training career includes notable wins with Legacy Gold at Aintree's Grand National meeting in 2013 and Fine Rightly in graded races and the Foxrock Handicap Chase at Navan. His association with Simon and Isaac began when they purchased a horse from him through Anthony Bromley. The collaboration has been fruitful, with horses like It’s For Me and Jasmin De Vaux achieving success in point-to-point races before moving on to other trainers.
Crawford praised Simon and Isaac as excellent owners to work with, appreciating their understanding of the challenges in horse racing. Some of the Double Green horses remain with Crawford, including Park Annonciade, O'Toole, Carnfunnock, and Lily Du Berlais, each with their own successes. Lily Du Berlais, for instance, won the Grade Two mares' bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival in 2022.
With recent wins by Ottizzini at Musselburgh and Brucio at Leopardstown, Crawford's tally for the season now stands at 19 winners. He looks forward to upcoming races at various tracks, both in Ireland and the UK, and anticipates a successful remainder of the season.