Tofane Justifies Connections' Call to Hold on to Her with Stradbroke
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Sunday, June 13, 2021 | Dedicated to the Australasian bloodstock industry - subscribe for free: Click here FRANKEL’S CONVERGE TOYS WITH RIVALS IN J J ATKINS - PAGE 2 THREE STRAIGHT FOR ZAAKI IN INAUGURAL Q22 - PAGE 4 Tofane justifies What's on connections’ call to hold on Race meetings: Hawkesbury (NSW), Sunshine Coast (QLD), Gulgong (NSW), Sapphire Coast (NSW), Edenhope (VIC), to her with Stradbroke win Swan Hill (VIC), Kalgoorlie (WA), Port Ocean Park mare adds second Group 1 to CV, now Cox Plate Hedland (WA), Murray Bridge (SA), Hobart a possibility for the Mike Moroney-trained five-year-old (TAS), Phar Lap Raceway (NZ) Barrier trials / Jump-outs: Sapphire Coast (NSW), Kalgoorlie (WA) International Group races: Tokyo (JPN) - Epsom Cup (Gr 3, 1800m), Sapporo (JPN) - Hakodate Sprint Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), ParisLongchamp (FR) - La Coupe (Gr 3, 2000m), Koln (GER) - Sparkasse KolnBonn Union Rennen (Gr 2, 2200m) International race meetings: Doncaster (UK), Salisbury (UK), Gowran Park (IRE), ParisLongchamp (FR), Koln (GER), Kenilworth (SAF) Tofane MICHAEL MCINALLY year’s All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner, due BY TIM ROWE | @ANZ_NEWS SINGAPORE NEWS to an injury setback after her spring preparation ockey Craig Williams’ determination to which saw her resume in the Sapphire Stakes Strong N Smart heading gain the ride on Group 1-winning mare (Gr 2, 1200m) in April before venturing to towards 3YO Sprint Tofane (Ocean Park) was rewarded when Queensland for the carnival. Three weeks after getting off the mark with a nose- the valuable mare won the Stradbroke She was runner-up to Emerald Kingdom win in a novice race over the same trip, the vastly- JHandicap (Gr 1, 1400m), her second victory (Bryannbo’s Gift) in the BRC Sprint (Gr 3, improved Strong N Smart (Per Incanto) went back- at the highest level and potentially staved off 1350m) at Doomben on May 22 before being to-back with a commanding win in yesterday’s racetrack retirement by 12 months. given three weeks between runs and landing a Class 4 race over 1200 metres and in the process put Melbourne trainer Mike Moroney elected $900,000 payday yesterday at Eagle Farm in the himself in the reckoning for the Singapore Three- to not overtax the rising six-year-old Tofane, last state’s richest race. Continued on page 2>> Year-Old Sprint (Listed, 1200m). page 13 >> Follow us @anz_news | 1 | Brought to you by Tofane justifies connections’ call to hold on to her with Stradbroke win | 2 | Sunday, June 13, 2021 << Continued from page 1 "When (Phillip Stokes decided Instant Baggy Green has an unraced two-year-old colt by Reliable Man Celebrity wasn't going to come up here, after Tofane's last run I said, 'get me (Dalakhani) named Benaud, who is in training with John O’Shea and wears on that horse, please. I really think she can win the race for us'," Williams said. Carl Holt’s royal blue and red vee colours also adorned by stablemate Lost "I loved the way Mike had spaced her runs. She's now a dual Group And Running (Per Incanto) and the Annabel Neasham-trained import 1-winning mare. Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux), winner of yesterday’s Q22 (Gr 2, 2200m). "I had to try to restrain her throughout the race and she got a bit Now owned by Kevin and Jo Hickman’s Valachi Downs, she has a inconvenienced throughout but she was really strong late." weanling sister to Tofan e and returned to Waikato Stud’s Cox Plate (Gr 1, Williams settled Tofane ($12) in behind the tempo and was able to 2040m) winner Ocean Park (Thorn Park) last year. overhaul Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) winner Vega One (Lope De Vega) in the final strides to win by half a length. Signore Fox (Exceed And Frankel’s Converge toys Excel) was a short neck away in third. with rivals in J J Atkins Connections of Tofane had made the last-minute decision to withdraw the mare from the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where she was expected to make at least $2 million to instead race her on for at least the Queensland winter carnival. Part-owner Rupert Legh suggested last week that Tofane could still be sold prior to the start of the breeding season but that could now be off the cards for another season. "We were at the sales only three weeks ago to make a decision whether we sold her or not," Legh said yesterday. "Fortunately, I was outvoted by the other owners and here she is today winning another Group 1. "Mike has been trying to get this horse to a mile plus. If you look at the pedigree, it suggests she can get to 2000 metres so who knows, we might Converge MICHAEL MCINALLY be running in the Cox Plate in October this year.” Tofane was purchased privately in New Zealand by Moroney and Adrian Bott is daring to dream after pint-sized European-bred juvenile Legh from Curraghmore’s Gordon Cunningham after she showed above Converge (Frankel) asserted his racetrack authority in the last two-year- average ability in a three-year-old maiden barrier trial at Te Teko in old Group 1 race of the season, the J J Atkins Plate (Gr 1, 1400m), a race September 2018. which has a history of unearthing elite three-year-olds. Having finished runner-up on her first start under the new ownership The Hong Kong-owned Converge, a horse purchased in utero with she would go on to win a Ballarat maiden before gaining important black hopes of becoming a stallion prospect, landed the $1 million J J Atkins, type in the Euclase Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) during a four-start first racing which has been won in the past by the likes of The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s preparation. Choice), Press Statement (Hinchinbrook), Sizzling (Snitzel) and Darci Tofane is one of three winners for Baggy Green (Galileo), a three- Brahma (Danehill). quarter sister to Group 1 winner Funstar (Adelaide), and a half-sister to "He's such a genuine horse. He's not the biggest horse in the stable another Group 1 winner in Youngstar (High Chaparral) and the stakes- by any means, but he's got the biggest heart," said Bott who trains in placed Eleven Seconds (Encosta De Lago). partnership with Gai Waterhouse. Continued on page 4>> NEW 2YO GROUP 1 WINNER #withoutequal Frankel SIRE OF Converge WINNER J J Atkins Gr.1, 1600m, Eagle Farm OWNER Evergreen Rich Syndicate BREEDER Evergreen Rich Pty Ltd TRAINER Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Follow us @anz_news | 2 | Brought to you by Frankel’s Converge toys with rivals in J J Atkins | 4 | Sunday, June 13, 2021 << Continued from page 2 "He's the most honest horse we've got a succession plan for Tulloch Lodge. Waterhouse sold the stables and and now he's got an explosive turn of foot to go with it, so it's dangerous. training business to Adrian’s father Tony Bott’s Hong Kong client, Mr P "We can really go home and dream tonight what could be possible for K Sui, but the Hall Of Fame inductee has remained as the senior partner his three-year-old career. since. "If he continues to develop physically, and improving every time he The pair has trained 11 Group 1 winners since joining forces, including steps out like today, well then we've certainly got a lot ahead.” last year’s Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) with Farnan (Not A Single Converge ($2.90 favourite), who came from back in the field to unleash Doubt). an impressive finishing burst, had three and a quarter lengths to spare Converge is the first foal out of the placed European mare Conversely on runner-up Giannis (Flying Artie) ($26) while Tiger Of Malay (Extreme (Shamardal) who was purchased by Evergreen Park Stud on behalf of Sui Choice) ($9.50) was just behind in third. from Coolmore Stud in Ireland when in foal to Frankel (Galileo) carrying Tim Clark was arguably unlucky on Converge when he made up a lot the J J Atkins Plate winner. of ground to run second to Tiger Of Malay in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes Conversely, who has a rising two-year-old colt by Churchill (Galileo) (Gr 2, 1400m) and the jockey believes it may have helped connections and a weanling colt by Invader (Snitzel), is one of seven named foals out establish the best way to ride the gelding. of US Grade 3 winner Melhor Ainda (Pulpit). "We learned a bit with him the other day that he's versatile," Clark said. She is currently in foal to Divine Prophet (Choisir) but Tony Bott told "If we need to go to plan B, which we did the other day, then he's still ANZ Bloodstock News last week that they will look to “mate her up” this able to adapt. year on the back of Converge’s success. "He's done an amazing job, he's been through the Sydney carnival and Gai and Adrian gave him that little freshen up before coming up here. Three straight for Zaaki "Obviously we saw what he did the other day and it's definitely in inaugural Q22 redemption today after just getting beat last time. Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux) reinforced his weight for age qualities and the "We got it right in the big one and it's very satisfying and it's obviously belief that he is a genuine Cox Plate contender after backing up his emphatic great to win another big race for Gai and Adrian." Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) success with another dominant display in the Bott joined Waterhouse in a training partnership in 2016 as part of inaugural Q22 (Gr 2, 2200m) yesterday.