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Online bargain makes quick return with debut win
Dennis Ryan, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • March 23rd, 2026 3:00 pm
Mayfair Street winning at Matamata on Sunday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
The value to be had from online buying was underlined yet again at Matamata on Sunday by debut winner Mayfair Street.
The Peter and Jessica Brosnan-trained and owned gelding was at double-figure odds for the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series 2YO (1050m) despite winning the second of two lead-up trials.
After jumping well from his inside gate for rider Jasmine Fawcett, Mayfair Street was never headed and stuck bravely to his task to hold out 30-to-one longshot Sir Richie by a short head, with half a head to the favourite Miss Janet. The Home Affairs filly was last to hit the ground and circled the field before hitting the line hard.
The $10,360 winner’s stake more than repaid the $2,700 that Mayfair Street’s trainers paid for him as a rising two-year-old last July through the Gavelhouse online portal.
“He was already broken in and gelded, and even though he wasn’t a big horse, there was nothing wrong with him,” Peter Brosnan said.
That last point was made at the time of the sale by his breeder Sarah Scott and her husband Andrew, Lance O’Sullivan’s training partner at Wexford Stables.
“Sarah and Andrew were quite up-front about why they were selling him, they just had too many horses of their own and needed to move some of them on,” Brosnan said.
“Straight after he won yesterday, they were both only too happy to congratulate us. It’s so good when people are genuinely pleased for you, especially when you consider the background around this horse.”
Once he stepped up the youngster’s training, Brosnan didn’t take long to realise he had ability, and after a first-up trial fourth in December and then a win at Taupo earlier this month, he was looking forward to stepping him out on raceday.
“He galloped well on the course proper on Tuesday morning and then when he got the draw (2) we were actually quite confident.
“There was a bit if interest in him after he won his trial and more since, but I don’t think we’ll be selling at this stage. Now that he’s won a race there are some decent stakes to be racing for, not just this season but next year as well.”
Brosnan was at a loss to think of a previous two-year-old winner for his stable, countering that with the point that very few prospects of that nature come their way.
“I really can’t think of one, but that’s okay, I don’t mind it being a first,” he said.
Jumpers have been the Brosnans’ mainstay over recent years, and there will be more of the same in the months ahead.
“We’ve got around 10 (jumpers) in work and a couple of them had a run around yesterday,” he said in reference to unplaced flat starters I’lberidingshotgun and St Vincent.
“The weather lately has dried the ground out a fair bit, but it looks like a decent bit of rain coming later this week, which will be a help.”
