Tough stayer Torrens won the Listed Tattersalls Cup at Randwick last year and the six year-old stallion by Cox Plate winner Adelaide (IRE) was back to his best at Randwick on Saturday coming with a well-timed run to win the $150,000 ATC Christmas Cup (2400m).
Torrens wins the Christmas Cup - image Steve Hart
Now trained by Marc Chevalier, Torrens was let go at 20-1, but showed the benefit of recent racing and was strong to the line for Josh Parr winning by nearly two lengths over last start stakes-winner Bonny Ezra.
Torrens was retained to race by his breeder and has won 10 races and placed three times from 31 starts earning just shy of $600,000 in prizemoney.
Torrens was first runner at Randwick, first city winner and maiden black-type winner for his French born trainer Marc Chevalier, who came to Australia over a decade ago after working as a breaker for the Aga Khan in France
"Eleven years ago I had an opportunity to come and work for six months at Arrowfield," Chevalier said.
"After six months I decided I'm not going back to France."
Chevalier has been training at Hawkesbury for the past 18 months, but has faced difficulties with flooding at the track which went through his stables, but he has stuck to the task and been rewarded.
Torrens bounced back from a poor showing last start to score his second Black Type win.
"After his run the other day I was very disappointed but his owner, Vincent (Balasubramaniam), he reassured me. He said, 'it's not the first time he's done that, don't worry, just be confident and keep doing what you're doing, he looks great'," Chevalier said.
"He was actually very confident coming into the race today, more confident than I was."
Torrens is the best of three winners from winning dangerous mare A Little Knowledge, who comes from the family of Group I winner Select Prince.
Torrens has been a good money earner and is the second stakes-winner for his sire Adelaide, who had a winning double at Randwick with Barossa Rosa winning the Benchmark 88 1200m event for the Tracy Bartley stable.
Barossa Rosa makes it a double for Adelaide (IRE) - image Steve Hart
It was the fifth win from 18 starts for Barossa Rosa, who has won over $370,000 in prizemoney.
By legendary sire Galileo, Adelaide is a value option on the Coolmore roster priced at just $5,500 this spring.
