Toronado's Senor Toba Claims the Frank Packer Plate

Mark Smith - Saturday April 24

It was another great Saturday for Toronado (IRE), who delivered a two state stakes double courtesy of Senor Toba and Still a Star.

Click here to read about Still a Star.

Progressive three-year-old gelding Senor Toba booked his ticket for the Queensland Derby following his maiden stakes success in Saturday’s Group III ACY Securities Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick.

Senor Toba wins the G3 Frank Packer Plate - image Steve Hart

With just a 1600m maiden win at Moonee Valley and a last start disappointment at Randwick behind him in three starts, the Chris Waller-trained son of Toronado (IRE) went off a $26 chance under Hugh Bowman.

The powerfully made grey finished resolutely to defeat the Savabeel gelding High Supremacy by one and a quarter lengths with the Pride Of Dubai gelding Achiever a short-neck back in third.

“It’s been good to see him turn it around today,” Waller said.

“We always knew he would stay. Until he got up to this distance you haven’t been able to see the best from him so it’s a sign of good things to come for sure, very bright future.

“He is a lovely type, works with you, does everything right. He won his second start at Moonee Valley, and we gave him a bit of a break to get him ready for either the SA or Queensland Derby. We thought about the South Australian Derby, but that comes around a little bit quicker, it’s only two weeks away.

Advertisement

Bred by David Peacock, Senor Toba was purchased by  Hermitage Thoroughbreds for $180,000 out of the Mill Park Stud draft at the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

The son of Toronado is a three-quarter brother to the Group II VRC Matriarch Stakes winner Affair To Remember.

He is the only foal to race out of the Teofilo (IRE) mare Bahamas, who placed in the Group 1 SAJC Schweppes Oaks and Group III South Australia Fillies Classic in a career restricted to seven starts.

Bahamas is a daughter of the 3-time Listed stakes-winner Saint Trinians (Black Hawk).

Bahamas has an unraced 2yo brother to Senor Toba named My Man Godfrey, and a yearling colt by Territories (IRE).

After foaling a filly by Frosted (USA) last spring, Bahamas was covered by Harry Angel (IRE).

Senor Toba becomes the 12th stakes winner worldwide for Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado (IRE), who has the favourite Masked Crusader in the Group 1 All-Aged Stakes.

Advertisment

Race Result - Frank Packer Gr3 2000m

Randwick Track: Good(4) Time: 2:01.41
1
Senor Toba
- 3g Toronado (IRE) x Bahamas (AUS) (Teofilo (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J Bowman 56.5
2
1.3
High Supremacy
- 3g Savabeel (AUS) x Lady Chaparral (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: R & M Freedman Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56.5
3
1.5
Achiever
- 3g Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x Lady Circles (AUS) (Ascot Knight (CAN))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
Pride Of Dubai
4
2.7
Lion's Roar
- 3g Contributer (IRE) x Minnaleo (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe (USA))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: B Avdulla 56.5
5
5.0
Santadeal
- 3g Dundeel (NZ) x Santa Rocks (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Tim Clark 56.5
6
9.5
Real Peace
- 3c Real Impact (JPN) x Kirovskaya (AUS) (French Deputy (USA))
Tnr: C E Conners Rdr: J R Collett 56.5
7
12.4
Khoekhoe
- 3c Turffontein (AUS) x Walvis Bay (NZ) (Cape Cross (IRE))
Tnr: Matthew Cumani Rdr: Craig Williams 56.5
8
13.2
Call Me Artie
- 3g Artie Schiller (USA) x Change Channels (AUS) (Bradbury's Luck (AUS))
Tnr: N J Osborne Rdr: Billy Owen 56.5
More Reading...
Big Pedigrees Don’t Always Spell Black Type
The breeding of thoroughbreds is a very inexact science which is why we saw siblings to a pair of Group I winners fighting out the finish of a very pedestrian 1100m maiden at Ballarat on Sunday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Bassett Winning Whirl
It was a red letter day for Wootton Bassett (GB) at The Curragh overnight with a treble of winners highlighted by top class filly Whirl, who captured the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes (1m2f), a race won by the mighty Via Sistina in 2023.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 29
Here is the full list of 53 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.
$3million Won Through Inglis Xtra Bonus
A staggering $3m has now been won as part of the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series following today’s victory by the Cody Morgan-trained 3YO Considered at Dubbo.
Another Aussie SW Sourced from Aga Khan Studs
When Australian investors buy tried horses out of Europe from Aga Khan Studs they know they are getting quality, but the good ones don’t come cheap with Elamaz (IRE) sourced from their draft at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for €480,000.
Unbeaten So You Think 3YO WA's New Excitement Machine
One month to the day since he first set foot on a racecourse, So You Think’s three year old son  Opportunistic remains undefeated from three starts, is a dual stakes winner with earnings of $200,250 to his name, and is WA's new rising star of the turf.
How Much for a Snitzel Colt from Winx?
The record price for a yearling by the late champion sire Snitzel stands at $2.8million, but that benchmark looks set to be smashed at Inglis Easter next year.
Aussie 2YO SW for Tivaci
New Zealand-bred colt Matahga stamped himself as an exciting spring three-year-old prospect with a hard-fought victory in the A$120,000 Listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.