'Spoilt' galloper nabs memorable victory in North Queensland

By Jordan Gerrans

It is unlikely there was a more ‘spoilt’ horse at any race track across the Sunshine State on Saturday afternoon.

While it was only a lowly Class B Handicap on a non-TAB program at Pentland in North Queensland, a galloper named Brave Missile was pampered and cared for ‘over and above’.

The seven-year-old gelding was decked out with his own team of misting fans as well as icy water and a cold rug.

The son of Smart Missile does not like it when the temperature is too high – which can be difficult to control when you call North Queensland home across the summer months.

But, trainer Mikhaila Brand does everything she can to keep her temperamental – but valued – race horse happy.

“He had ice water, an ice rug and misting fans that we got from Bunnings,” Brand said.

“He is probably the most spoilt horse at the races. We are running in a Class B at Pentland but I am happy he got around safely.”

The gelding has been a bit of a problem child throughout his strung-out career as he has gone through the stables of a handful of trainers over the journey.

Before Saturday, his career record displayed 16 starts for one finish in the money, which came way back in November of 2021.

Brand – alongside her partner Pietro Romeo – has persisted with the gelding and they brought up Brave Missile’s second triumph of his time as a race horse on Saturday afternoon.

It was also Brand’s first winner as a trainer.

Shortfin Mako had accounted for Brand's two previous starters in a race as a trainer before Brave Missile became her third and maiden victory. 

“We have placed him right, that is all that matters,” Romeo said.

Romeo is a jockey in North Queensland who is currently sidelined through injury.

After a number of trainers gave up on Brave Missile, Romeo praised Brand’s persistence to stick with the sprinter.

“We have found a niche where we give him as much as we can before it’s too much as he was always overheating,” Romeo said.

“Mikhaila did a lot of ground work with him, jumping him and taking him to the beach, just different outings.

“He has not really been to the track that much – he has been a few times – but not like a normal race horse prep.

“It has mainly been at home – jumping, swimming and beach work – just working where we can to avoid the heat at all costs.

“Mikhaila goes to a lot of extremes to keep him cool.”

The Brand and Romeo team have been doing their best to get their gelding in fit enough condition to race.

But, finding a race to put him in has been another story in its own right.

They have been balloted out a couple of times as well as having suitable races canned.

The horse has been in and out of work for months trying to return to the races for the first time since late 2022.

Brave Missile was actually accepted to go around at Atherton and Pentland on Saturday.

With rain around throughout North Queensland, the team waited until the final second before making a call where they would race.

There was some thought that Pentland may be called off because of the weather so Brand and Romeo started driving to Atherton with their gelding in the float.

They quickly had to change route after Pentland was given the go ahead.

The thinking was the Pentland race was more winnable, which proved to be correct in the end.

Brave Missile scored by more than three lengths. 

“It was phenomenal,” Brand said to earn the first win of her career as a trainer.

“It was amazing, we have had some bad luck so far with the other two horses we have had but for him to come out and run the way that he did, I was just happy that he got around safely.

“The win was a bonus. Hopefully there is many more to come.”

As well as training, Brand rides track work for several NQ trainers.