Promising Shelby Cobra Seventh Stakes Winner for Toronado

Mark Smith - Saturday November 7

Trainer Mike Moroney believes his progressive three-year-old gelding Shelby Cobra should be unbeaten and few would argue after the son of Toronado (IRE) powered home in Saturday’s Listed The Amanda Elliott (1400m) at Caulfield.

Shelby Cobra opens his stakes account (Pat Scala/Racing Photos)

Shelby Cobra opens his stakes account (Pat Scala/Racing Photos)

Following a luckless fourth on debut at Moonee Valley on October2, Shelby Cobra was a facile three and a half length winner over 1400m on a heavy track two weeks later.

Settled midfield by Ben Melham, Shelby Cobra again looked a bit lost when asked for the supreme effort in the straight.

Once balanced up the son of Toronado (IRE) hit the line strongly to defeat another promising sort in the Sacred Falls colt Tommy Gold by a length with the pacesetting Deep Field gelding Deep Speed in third.

“He wanted to get the wanders when he hit the front, he was waiting for them at bit but he is new to the whole thing so that is expected,” Moroney said.

The Sandown Guineas now comes under consideration.

“We want say no but we don’t make decisions on race day so let’s see how he pulls up. We will consider all avenues but he looks an exciting horse Moroney said.

“Paul spotted him at the sales and I follow Paul around and make the final decisions. From the time I saw him he is just a beautiful balanced horse.

“I saw Toroado (IRE) race at Royal Ascot and this horse is a dead-pit of his father, probably more than any I saw that year.”      

Shelby Cobra a $130,000 Inglis Premier Yearling

Shelby Cobra a $130,000 Inglis Premier Yearling

Pinhooked by Maluka Thoroughbreds for $70,000 out of the Makybe draft at the 2018 Great Southern Weanling Sale, Shelby Cobra caught the eye of Paul Moroney at the 2019 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, who in association with Ballymore stables shelled out $130,000.

The handsome bay is the first to race out of the Dane Shadow mare Segenhoe Valley whose dam Scone (Zabeel) is a half-sister to stakes-winner Sunrise Silence (Squill) and a half-sister to the stakes-placegetters Royal Integrity (Naturalism) and Discretion (Canny Lad) who is the dam of Group III winner and Group 1-placed Royal Discretion (Royal Academy) and Roulettes (Flying Spur).

Purchased by Makybe for just $17,000 at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Segenhoe Valley has a 2yo colt by Starcraft named Star Acclaim and foaled a sister to Shelby Cobra on October 26.

Segenhoe Valley and her Toronado (IRE) foal are being offered for sale on the Inglis Digital Online Auction as Lot 136.

Shelby Cobra becomes the seventh stakes-winner for Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado (IRE).

The dual Group 1 winning son of High Chaparral (IRE) stands at a fee of $27,500.

Race Result - The Amanda Elliott LR 1400m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 1:22.68
1
Shelby Cobra
- 3g Toronado (IRE) x Segenhoe Valley (AUS) (Dane Shadow (AUS))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: B Melham 56
2
1.0
Tommy Gold
- 3c Sacred Falls (NZ) x Gold Rocks (AUS) (Oratorio (AUS))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: J Bowman 59
3
2.3
Deep Speed
- 3g Deep Field (AUS) x Fast 'n' Witty (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: L Currie 59
4
4.7
Allibor
- 3g All Too Hard (AUS) x Libor Lady (USA) (Exchange Rate (USA))
Tnr: Symon Wilde Rdr: D Yendall 56
5
5.0
Pioneer River
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x Ocean Of Tears (NZ) (Minardi (USA))
Tnr: T Dabernig & B Hayes Rdr: Jye McNeil 61
6
5.3
Torbreck
- 3g Sebring (AUS) x Recooperate (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: T Dabernig & B Hayes Rdr: L Nolen 56.5
7
6.3
Ronniejay
- 3g All Too Hard (AUS) x Star Of The Screen (AUS) (Conatus (AUS))
Tnr: Richard Laming Rdr: Craig Williams 58
8
7.1
Rock The Ring
- 3c Reward For Effort (AUS) x Suzebabe (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: T Dabernig & B Hayes Rdr: J Mott 59
More Reading...
One to Watch – Ballarat
Synthetic track meetings at Ballarat can throw up some misleading form, but a debut winner from the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable that started in the red and won by nine lengths is probably worth a closer look.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Peltzer added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.