Three Winners for Toronado at Flemington

Mark Smith - Saturday January 20

Swettenham Stud's Toronado (IRE) enjoyed a red-letter day at Flemington with three winners and a second on the ten-race card.

In the opening race over 1600m the Toronado 7-year-old Beerhunter was a fighting second to the promising Bermadez.

Advertisement

The 4-year-old Toronado mare One Last Kiss scored over 2500m for Dan O'Sullivan and Luke Currie before another 4-year-old daughter of Toronado, Southern Fire, a sister to Group II Matriarch Stakes winner Affair To Remember,  squeezed through along the fence under Mickaelle Michel land the Tour D' Horse Trophy (1200m).

Six races in, and Toronado (IRE) sired his third winner when Mark Zahra threaded his way through the field to land the VRC Life Member John Dale Mile (1600m)  on the Robbie Lang-trained El Soleado.

A homebred for owner/breeders Colleen & Kevin Bamford, El Soleado had placed at his previous four starts. The 4-year-old gelding advanced his record to three wins, three seconds, and two thirds from 12 starts with earnings of $171,600.

“I thought he was a query at a mile, so I planned to ride him cold,” Zahra said.

“He was slow out, allowing me to go to the fence. When the time came to get him out I would have bowled over three of my fellow jockeys, so I stayed in, and the split came at the right time. A stride later, it would have been too late.

El Soleado a typically good-looking son of Toronado (image Reg Ryan/Racing Photos))

“To his credit, he got the gap and knuckled down.

“He has a lot of talent but is not the best out of the machines. He is a 1400m/ miler type and will pick up a few races this time of year.”

El Soleado is the best of two winners from as many to race for the imported Monsun mare with the very Australian name, Sunnyvale (GER), who hails from the family of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Sagace and  Prix Royal Oak winner Star Lift.

Advertisment

Race Result - Vrc Life Member John Dale Mile (Bm70) 1600m

Flemington Track: Good(3) Time: 1:37.67
1
El Soleado
- 4g Toronado (IRE) x Sunnyvale (GER) (Monsun (GER))
Tnr: R E Laing Rdr: M Zahra 58.5
2
0.2
Botany
- 5m American Pharoah (USA) x Private (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: Carleen Hefel 57.5
3
1
Podente
- 5g Redente (AUS) x Podsnap (AUS) (Elusive Quality (USA))
Tnr: Brett Scott Rdr: Ben Allen 59
4
1.2
Verifier
- 4g Tivaci (AUS) x Checkout (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: N A Blackiston Rdr: Beau Mertens 58.5
5
1.9
The Cunning Fox
- 5g Reliable Man (GB) x Cross Rate (IRE) (Green Tune (USA))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: W Egan 59.5
6
2
Hasseltoff
- 7g Toorak Toff (AUS) x Hoop (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: Tom Dabernig Rdr: Damian Lane 60.5
7
2.4
Son Of Solly
- 4g Ilovethiscity (AUS) x Solanas (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: Jordan Childs 58.5
8
3.7
Harrow
- 5g El Kabeir (USA) x School Run (IRE) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Celine Gaudray 59.5
9
4.9
Naval Seal
- 5g Snitzel (AUS) x First Seal (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: L Currie 57.5
10
5.3
Confrontational
- 6g Redoute's Choice (AUS) x Zastava (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Jason Warren Rdr: J Mott 59
11
65.3
Aperitivo
- 4m Tivaci (AUS) x Dubonnet (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: M J Dee 57
More Reading...
One to Watch - Belmont
Racing made a welcome return to Belmont Park yesterday and the first winner to salute on the freshly renovated track was a two year-old that started a red hot favourite and could not have been more impressive!
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 26
Here is the full list of 86 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First SW For So You Think Stallion Tamasa As Cicala Takes Out Lightning
One of just three named foals by the So You Think stallion Tamasa, the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea trained 3yo filly Cicala remained unbeaten, going three from three by winning the $120,000 Listed SAJC Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville.
Season Finale Flourish for So You Think
Coolmore stalwart So You Think is powering to the end of the Australian racing season with a six winner flurry on Saturday highlighted by a winning treble at Randwick led by his progressive mare Oh Diamond Lil.
One to Watch Wins Again in Saturday Class
The half-brother to Group II winner Stretan Angel, lightly raced three year-old Brutal gelding Glorious Moments was in a class of his own at Randwick on Saturday.
Two New SW's for Too Darn Hot
Too Darn Hot is set to be crowned Champion Australian Second Season Sire and is headed back to Darley Australia this spring at a fee of $275,000 and overnight he produced two new stakes-winners in the UK and Ireland.
Zoustar Filly Wander Dune Impresses On Debut In South Africa
Making her debut as favourite in the Race Coast Maiden Juvenile Plate (1200m) at Kenilworth, South Africa on Saturday, 2yo Australian-bred Zoustar filly Wander Dune impressed with an emphatic victory.
Consecutive Black Type Victories For Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz
Stepping up to open company is always a tough task, but 3yo Snitzel filly Bridal Waltz graduated from a last start Listed win over her own age to win the $200,000 Group 3 MRC Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Another G1 Triumph for Aga Khan Stud Bred Gelding
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who made it back to back G1 wins overnight when beating a select field in a tactical battle to win the Group I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1m4f) at Ascot.
Hello Youmzain Filly Wins NZ Last Stakes Race of Season
Talented juvenile filly Platinum Diamond made all posts a winner when she captured her second consecutive stakes victory in the last black type feature of the 2024-2025 racing season, the Listed Phils Electrical & Gypsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.